THE  LIBRARY 

OF 

THE  UNIVERSITY 
OF  CALIFORNIA 

LOS  ANGELES 


"SERGEANT  FRONKLYN  DRAGGED  THE  FORM  OF  LIEUTENANT 
LYON  OUT  OF  THE  MELEE." 

Page  299. 


The  Blue  and  tlie    Gray  on  Land 


A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


OLIVER  OPTIC 


AUTHOR  OF  "  THE  ARMY  AND  NAVY  SERIES  "  "  YOUNG  AMERICA  ABROAD,  FIRST 

AND  SECOND  SERIES"  "THE  BOAT-CLUB  STORIES  "  "THE  GREAT  WESTERN 

SERIES"   "THE  WOODVILLE  STORIES"   "THE  ONWARD  AND  UPWARD 

SERIES"  "THE  LAKE  SHORE  SERIES"  "  THE  YACHT-CLUB  SERIES" 

"  THB   RIVERDALE   STORIES  "    "  THE   BOAT-BUILDER   SERIES  " 

"THE    BLUE    AND   THE   GRAY  —  AFLOAT"    "A    MISSING 

MILLION"  "  A  MILLIONAIRE  AT  SIXTEEN"  "A  YOUNG 

KNIGHT-ERRANT"   "  STRANCE   SIGHTS  ABROAD" 

"  THE  YOUNG  NAVIGATORS  "  "  UP  AND  DOWN 

THE  NILE  "  "  ASIATIC  BREEZES  "  "  ACROSS 

INDIA"  "HALF  ROUND  THE  WORLD" 

BTC.,     ETC.,     ETC.,    ETC.,    ETC. 


BOSTON 
LEE   AND    SHEPARD   PUBLISHERS 


COPYKIGHT,  1895,  BY  LEE  AND  SHEPAED 


All  rights  reserved 


LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


TO 
MY  PATRIOTIC  FRIEND 

MRS.     SARA    WHITE     LEE 

THE  MASSACHUSETTS  REGENT 

OF  THE 
DAUGHTERS  OF  THE  REVOLUTION 

THIS  VOLUME 
IS  RESPECTFULLY  AND  CORDIALLY 

DEDICATED 


PREFACE 

"A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN"  is  the  third 
of  the  series  of  "The  Blue  and  the  Gray — on 
Land."  The  stirring  events  of  thirty-four  years 
ago,  when  the  first  gun  of  the  Great  Rebellion 
awoke  the  nation  from  its  slumber  of  thirteen 
years  of  peace,  transformed  the  older  boys  of  the 
day  into  men.  Thousands  of  them  who  lacked 
three  or  four  years  of  their  majority,  and  some 
of  them  even  six  or  seven  years  of  it,  flocked 
to  the  standard  of  the  imperilled  Union.  While 
the  volunteers  were  in  considerable  numbers  over 
the  military  age,  those  who  were  not  yet  out  of 
their  teens  were  earnest  in  their  desire  to  be  en 
rolled  in  the  ranks  of  the  loyal  army,  and  in  one 
way  or  another  surmounted  the  obstacle  of  their 
tender  age. 

The  youth  of  the  hero  of  this  volume  is  not 
contrary  to  the  facts  set  forth  in  the  official  rec- 

7 


8  PREFACE 

ords  of  the  States ;  neither  does  his  appearance  in 
a  squadron  of  cavalry  constitute  an  improbability, 
nor  his  promotion  from  the  rank  of  second  lieu 
tenant  to  that  of  first  lieutenant,  nor  even  his 
appointment  on  the  staff  of  a  brigadier-general. 
In  the  rosters  of  three  regiments  of  cavalry,  pre 
served  in  the  archives  of  a  certain  State,  the  name 
of  a  young  man  of  seventeen  is  given  as  a  first 
lieutenant;  two  of  eighteen  as  captains;  one  of 
the  same  age  as  first  lieutenant;  and  three  more 
of  that  age  as  second  lieutenants.  Deck  Lyon's 
rank,  therefore,  is  not  exceptional. 

Since  the  close  of  the  war  many  high  schools 
in  the  larger  cities,  and  many  other  educational 
institutions,  have  taught  military  drill  and  evo 
lutions  in  their  regular  courses;  and  the  students 
have  been  organized  as  companies,  battalions,  and 
regiments,  and  are  thus  trained  in  actual  practice 
as  officers,  from  a  .corporal  to  a  colonel,  and  as 
privates,  for  service  in  the  field  if  we  should 
again  unfortunately  be  involved  in  a  war  with  a 
foreign  or  domestic  enemy. 

The  important  battle  of  Mill  Springs,  or  Lo 
gan's  Cross  Roads  as  it  is  indifferently  called  in 


PREFACE  9 

the  official  reports  of  the  government,  is  intro 
duced  in  the  story,  though  not  in  its  minute  de 
tails.  The  Klverlawn  Cavalry  are  present,  and 
take  part  in  the  action,  and  the  command  of  the 
principal  character  renders  important  service  on 
the  outskirts  of  the  battle-field ;  and  the  squad 
ron,  either  as  a  whole  or  in  detachments,  was 
busily  employed.  The  State  was  overrun  by 
lawless  hordes  of  ruffians,  of  which  Shaler,  the 
latest  historian  of  the  State,  writes  as  follows:— 
"Deserters  from  both  armies  formed  bands  of 
outlaws  called  guerillas.  These  wretches,  with 
out  commanders  from  either  army,  sheltered  in 
the  great  forests  that  abound  in  nearly  all  parts 
of  the  State,  were  often  strong  enough  to  over 
come  the  domestic  forces,  and  were  guilty  of 
many  outrages.  They  brought  back  to  Ken 
tucky  the  evils  of  its  struggle  with  the  Indians. 
Men  again  tilled  their  fields  with  their  muskets 
by  their  sides,  and  slept  in  expectation  of  com 
bat.  During  this  and  the  following  year  these 
parties  were  hunted  down,  and,  when  captured, 
hanged  without  mercy.  Still  their  numbers,  their 
daring,  and  their  swift  movements,  made  the 


10  PREFACE 

struggle  as  difficult  and  as  bloody  as  in  any  year 
during  the  last  century." 

The  Riverlawn  Cavalry  was  largely  employed 
in  operations  against  these  irregular  bodies  of 
marauders;  and  there  were  so  many  of  them 
that  the  force  was  kept  constantly  occupied. 
The  cavalry  had  plenty  of  exciting  experience ; 
and  the  hero,  in  command  of  his  platoon  on  de 
tached  service,  proved  himself  to  be  not  only  a 
brave  officer,  but  a  skilful  strategist. 

Compared  with  the  States  farther  north,  Ken 
tucky  had  a  terrible  experience  in  the  earlier 
years  of  the  war,  in  her  desperate  struggle  with 
Confederate  and  domestic  enemies;  and  she  is 
certainly  entitled  as  a  Union  State  to  greater 
honor  and  respect  for  her  loyalty  and  fidelity  to 
the  Union,  and  for  sending  so  large  a  number  of 
troops  as  she  did  "to  the  front,"  than  any  other 

loyal  State. 

WILLIAM  T.  ADAMS. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 
GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST   ...      15 

CHAPTER  II. 
PREPABATIOXS  FOR  DECISIVE  ACTION 28 

CHAPTER  III. 
THE  LIEUTENANT  BAGS  His  GAME 41 

CHAPTER  IV. 
A  REFRACTORY  GUERILLA  CHIEF 54 

CHAPTER  V. 
LIEUTENANT  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY    .      67 

CHAPTER  VI. 
A  SMART  SKIRMISH  IN  THE  ROAD 80 

CHAPTER  VII. 
THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT 92 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRINGS 105 

11 


12  CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  IX. 
PREPARING  FOR  ANOTHER  BATTLE  IN  THE  ROAD     .    118 

CHAPTER  X. 
THE  SHARPSHOOTERS  OF  MILLERSVILLE 131 

CHAPTER  XI. 
THE  APPROACH  OF  ANOTHER  CAVALRY  FORCE     .    .    144 

CHAPTER  XH. 
A  NEW  COMPANY  OF  MOUNTED  RIFLEMEN  ....    156 

CHAPTER   XIII. 
A  NIGHT  IN  A  JAIL  AT  JAMESTOWN 169 

CHAPTER  XIV. 
THE  AIDE-DE-CAMP  OF  THE  GENERAL 182 

CHAPTER  XV. 
THE  ATTEMPTED  ESCAPE  OF  A  WAGON-TRAIN     .    .    195 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
AN  IMAGINARY  AND  A  REAL  BATTLE 208 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
THE  OVERWHELMING  DEFEAT  OF  THE  ENEMY  .    .    .    221 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 
THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW 234 

CHAPTER  XIX. 
THE  RIVERLAWN  CAVALRY  ON  THE  FLANK      .    .    .    247 

CHAPTER  XX. 
THE  FLOWING  TIDE  OF  THE  ENEMY'S  RETREAT    .         260 


CONTENTS  13 

CHAPTER  XXI. 

"AGE 

DECK  FINDS  HIMSELF  IN  A  TIGHT  PLACE    ....    273 

CHAPTER  XXII. 
A  LIEUTENANT  AMONG  THE  "  MISSING  " 286 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 
WITHIN  THE  CONFEDERATE  LINES 299 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 
A  NIGHT  ADVENTURE  ON  THE  CUMBERLAND    .    .    .    311 

CHAPTER  XXV. 
A  BOAT  VOYAGE  DOWN  THE  GREAT  RIVER      .    .    .    324 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 
FOUR  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD  ....    337 

CHAPTER   XXVII. 
THE  OWNER  OF  THE  MANSION  ON  THE  HILL   .    .    .    349 

CHAPTER   XXVIII. 
THE  FIGHT  BEGINS  AT  GROVE-HILL  MANSION  .    .    .    362 

CHAPTER   XXIX. 
A  NEW  METHOD  OF  OPERATIONS 375 

CHAPTER  XXX. 
THE  SURRENDER  OF  CAPTAIN  GRUNDY 387 

CHAPTER   XXXI. 
AN  UNEXPECTED  RE-ENFORCEMENT 399 

CHAPTER  XXXII. 
DECK  LYON'S  PLAN  OF  BATTLE 411 


CONTENTS 
CHAPTER  XXXIII 

PAGE 

THE  DEFEAT  AND  SURRENDER  OK  THE  GUERILLAS  .    424 

CHAPTER   XXXIV. 
THE  GATHERING  OF  A  NEW  COMMAND 437 

CHAPTER  XXXV. 
A  FIRST  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 450 

CHAPTER  XXXVI. 
SCOUTING  IN  THE  ENEMY'S  COUNTRY 463 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


"  SERGEANT  FRONKLYN  DRAGGED  THE  FORM  OF 

LIEUTENANT  LYON  OUT  OF  THE  MELEE  "    Frontispiece 

ILLUSTRATED  TITLE 

"  COME  DOWN,  OR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN  "    .     .  Page  64 

"  THEY   LAID   HIM  ON  THE  GRASS  JUST  AS  THE 

RECALL  WAS  SOUNDED" .     "     141 

"HE  SOON  DISCOVERED  HIS  LIEUTENANT  RIDING 

AT  THE  HEAD  OF  HIS  PLATOON" "     210 

"  TlIE     SHARPSHOOTERS      RUSHED     DOWN     THE 

DECLIVITY" "     262 

"THE  BALL  STRUCK  HIM  IN  THE  HEAD"    ..."     388 

"THE    UNWELCOME     VISITORS     POINTED    THEIR 

WEAPONS"  .  "     461 


A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER  I 

GEACE   MORGAN    AND    HER   TREASURE-CHEST 

"ARE  you  an  honest  man,  sir?"  asked  a  very 
pretty  young  woman,  not  more  than  twenty  years 
old,  as  she  stopped  in  the  open  field  in  front  of 
Sergeant  Life  Knox  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry, 
as  it  was  generally  called,  though  the  squadron 
belonged  to  a  numbered  regiment  in  Kentucky. 

The  non-commissioned  officer  was  a  tall  Ken- 
tuckian,  over  six  feet  high,  lank  and  raw-boned. 
He  looked  at  the  young  woman,  and  a  smile 
lighted  .up  his  thin  face. 

"I  reckon  I  am,  Miss;  I  never  robbed  a  bank, 
or  stole  a  poor  woman's  last  dollar,"  he  replied, 
thinking  it  was  a  queer  question  if  the  lady  pro 
posed  to  trust  him  on  his  own  recommendation. 

"Are  you  a  Confederate  soldier,  for  I  see  that 

15 


16  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

you  wear  a  uniform?"  continued  the  young  wo 
man,  looking  behind  her  with  a  timid  glance. 

"  I  am  not !  "  protested  Life  with  earnestness 
enough  to  prove  that  he  meant  all  that  he  said. 
"Don't  you  see  that  I  wear  the  uniform  of  the 
United  States  army?  and,  Hail  Columby!  if  I 
ain't  a  Union  man  from  the  smallest  nail  in  the 
heel  of  my  boot  to  the  top  hair  on  my  Kentucky 
skull!" 

"  You  won't  rob  me  if  I  tell  you  the  truth,  will 
you?"  asked  she  very  simply,  and  evidently  agi 
tated  by  painful  doubts. 

"No,  indeed,  Missy!  I  wouldn't  do  that  even 
if  you  didn't  tell  me  the  truth;  not  if  you  lied 
to  me  till  you  was  black  in  the  face,"  replied 
the  sergeant  warmly.  "  But  what  difference 
does  it  make  to  you  whether  I  am  honest  or 
not?  I  am  forty-two,  and  I  reckon  you  don't 
think  of  marrying  me  without  my  mother's  con 
sent." 

"I  am  very  serious,  sir,  and  I  hope  you  will 
not  make  fun  of  me,"  pleaded  the  young  woman 
with  a  deep  blush  on  her  face,  as  she  looked  be 
hind  her  and  listened. 


GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST      17 

"  I  wouldn't  say  a  sassy  thing  to  you  for  half 
a  Kentucky  county;  but  you  asked  me  a  queer 
question.  I'll  do  anything  I  kin  for  you.  I 
reckon  I'm  an  honest  man;  and  I  don't  reckon 
you  kin  find  anybody  in  my  county  that  would 
say  I'm  not  honest." 

"That's  enough;  you  look  like  an  honest  man, 
and  I  believe  you,"  added  the  fair  woman,  as 
she  took  from  under  her  clothing  a  hard-wood 
box  about  eight  inches  long  by  four  in  width 
and  depth. 

From  the  effort  it  required  for  her  to  handle 
it,  Life  judged  that  it  was  quite  heavy.  It  was 
bound  with  straps  of  brass,  screwed  to  the  wood; 
and  the  sight  of  it  was  enough  to  convince  the 
sergeant  that  it  contained  some  tiling  valuable. 
Her  strange  question  seemed  to  be  explained  by 
this  supposition. 

"What  is  your  name,  Missy?"  asked  Life,  be 
coming  very  sedate  all  at  once;  for,  rough  as  his 
manners  were,  he  had  a  kind  heart,  and  would 
not  trifle  with  the  feelings  of  any  one. 

"  My  name  is  Grace  Morgan,"  replied  the 
lady,  looking  behind  her  once  more,  as  though 
she  dreaded  some  peril  in  that  direction. 


18  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"Be  you  afeerd  of  sunthin',  that  you  keep 
lookin'  over  yender?"  inquired  the  cavalryman 
in  kindly  tones.  "What  is  it?  Tell  me  all 
about  it." 

"You  say  you  are  a  Union  man?"  she  in 
quired  doubtfully. 

"Bet  your  life  on't!  I'm  orderly  sergeant  of 
the  fust  company  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry. 
What's  it  all  about?"  asked  Life,  very  tenderly 
for  him. 

"Stephen  Halliburn,  who  lives  about  half  a 
mile  over  there,  is  my  guardian.  About  twenty 
Confederate  soldiers,  or  guerillas,  I  don't  know 
which,  are  plundering  his  house  and  stable,  and 
they  say  they  will  have  his  money  if  they  have 
to  pull  his  house  down  to  find  it,"  answered 
Grace,  trembling,  and  glancing  frequently  behind 
her,  as  though  she  were  in  mortal  terror  of  the 
approach  of  the  enemy. 

"Oh,  ho,  Grace!  That's  what's  the  matter, 
ain't  it?  We'll  soon  fix  the  gorrillas,  or  the 
soldiers,  whatever  they  may  be,"  replied  Life, 
as  he  looked  earnestly  in  the  direction  of  the 
road,  a  few  rods  distant  from  the  spot. 


GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST      19 

"But  I  can't  carry  this  chest  any  farther.  I 
am  worn  out  bringing  it  so  far;  for  I  have  been 
so  frightened  that  all  the  strength  has  gone  out 
of  me,"  said  Grace,  as  she  placed  the  box  on  a 
rock  near  her.  "I  am  terribly  afraid  that  Mr. 
Halliburn  will  be  killed  or  badly  hurt ;  for  he  is  a 
Union  man,  and  speaks  out  just  what  he  thinks.'' 

"We  will  do  what  we  can  for  him,"  added  Life, 
still  looking  in  the  direction  of  the  road,  and  list 
ening  for  sounds  from  the  north. 

"  But  you  are  only  a  single  man ;  and  what  can 
you  do  against  twenty  ruffians?"  asked  the  Ken 
tucky  girl,  who  still  trembled,  and  did  not  seem 
to  believe  that  the  stalwart  cavalryman  could  do 
anything  to  aid  Mr.  Halliburn. 

"About  fifty  on  us,"  added  Life  quietly,  still 
looking  and  listening.  "I'm  a  scout  sent  out 
ahead  of  half  the  fust  company  marchin'  this 
way.  I  left  my  horse  in  the  road,  to  come  over 
this  way  and  take  a  look,  for  I  had  an  idee  I 
heerd  sunthin'  on  the  left." 

"Perhaps  you  heard  the  ruffians  who  are  plun 
dering  my  guardian,"  replied  Grace,  brightening 
up  when  she  learned  that  fifty  Union  soldiers 


20  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

were  in  the  neighborhood.  "He  is  a  dear  good 
man,  and  I  love  him  as  though  he  were  my 
father.  I  would  not  have  left  him  if  he  had 
not  insisted  that  I  should  do  something  with  the 
chest,  which  contains  all  his  money  and  papers. 
I  can't  carry  it  any  farther,  for  it  is  very  heavy." 

"  And  what  were  you  gwine  to  do  with  it  ?  " 
inquired  Life,  looking  into  her  pretty  face. 

"  I  was  going  to  carry  it  over  to  the  house  of 
Colonel  Ben  Halliburn,  my  guardian's  brother, 
as  he  told  me  to  do." 

"  All  right,  Missy ;  I'll  tote  it  over  to  the  road, 
and  report  to  the  leftenant  as  soon  as  he  comes 
up  with  the  men,"  added  Life  as  he  picked  up 
the  treasure-chest. 

It  was  heavy,  as  the  young  woman  had  said, 
though  it  was  a  light  load  for  the  powerful  Ken- 
tuckian ;  and  he  concluded  at  once  that  it  must 
contain  a  considerable  amount  of  gold.  In  the 
distracted  condition  of  the  State  very  few  had 
any  confidence  in  the  banks,  and  some  had 
turned  their  bills  into  coin  for  any  emergency 
that  might  arise.  Before  he  reached  the  road 
he  saw  another  scout  getting  over  the  fence. 


21 

"  Get  on  your  boss  agin,  Fronklyn !  "  shouted 
Life,  who  walked  with  long  and  hurried  strides, 
so  that  Grace  had  to  run  in  order  to  keep  near 
him. 

The  story  of  the  bearer  of  the  chest  had  fully 
aroused  him  by  this  time ;  and  he  was  ready  for 
action,  whether  it  was  in  a  fight,  or  in  the  ser 
vice  of  the  fair  maiden,  though  there  was  hardly 
a  fibre  of  sentimentalism  in  his  composition. 
When  he  reached  the  road,  Sergeant  Fronklyn 
had  mounted  his  horse,  and  was  waiting  for 
orders  from  the  chief  scout. 

"  Ride  back  like  a  streak  o'  lightnin',  and  tell 
Leftenant  Lyon  that  the  gorrillas  is  cleanin'  out 
a  house  over  yender !  "  said  Life  in  hurried 
speech.  "  How  fur  back  is  the  platoon  ?  " 

"Not  more  than  half  a  mile,"   said  Fronklyn. 

"  Go  it,  and  don't  let  the  grass  grow  under 
your  boss's  irons  !  " 

The  other  scout  went  off  at  the  fastest  gallop 
of  his  steed,  and  soon  disappeared  beyond  a  turn 
in  the  road.  The  Riverlawn  Cavalry  had  been 
enlisted,  drilled,  and  mustered  into  the  loyal 
army  at  the  plantation  of  Noah  Lyon,  who  had 


22  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

inherited  the  property  under  the  will  of  his  el 
der  brother.  The  raising  of  hemp  and  horses 
had  made  the  deceased  brother,  Colonel  Duncan 
Lyon,  a  rich  man,  as  worldly  possessions  were 
gauged  in  this  locality.  His  property  had  been 
fairly  divided  among  his  heirs.  The  plantation 
had  been  given  to  his  younger  brother,  greatly 
to  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  elder  one. 

Titus  Lyon,  the  other  surviving  brother,  was 
an  entirely  different  kind  of  man  from  Noah,  as 
the  original  owner  of  Riverlawn  was  well  aware 
when  he  gave  the  place  to  his  younger  brother. 
All  of  them  had  come  from  New  Hampshire, 
the  colonel  in  his  early  manhood,  and  Titus  a 
few  years  before  Noah.  The  latter  was  a  man 
of  character,  with  lofty  principles,  while  his  liv 
ing  brother  was  far  from  being  a  high-toned  per 
son.  He  had  always  been  what  is  called  "a 
moderate  drinker,"  and  his  politics  had  always 
been  the  opposite  of  Noah's  in  the  North. 

Titus  believed  that  he  ought  to  have  been  born 
a  rich  man.  He  was  a  mason  by  trade,  and  had 
gone  to  Kentucky  to  establish  himself  in  this 
business.  For  a  time  he  did  very  well.  He 


GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST      23 

fawned  upon  and  tried  to  flatter  his  brother; 
but  he  drank  more  whiskey  than  ever.  When 
the  colonel's  health  began  to  fail  him,  he  looked 
forward  to  the  possession  of  Riverlawn.  When 
it  went  to  Noah  he  was  mortally  offended,  and 
an  unhappy  feud  grew  into  being,  though  it  was 
altogether  on  the  side  of  Titus. 

The  dissatisfied  brother,  apparently  as  much 
to  spite  Noah,  who  was  an  enthusiastic  Union 
man,  cast  in  his  lot  with  the  Secessionists.  With 
the  money  he  had  received  from  his  deceased 
brother's  estate  he  became  a  leader  among  them. 
They  were  bullies  and  ruffians  for  the  most  part, 
operating  at  first  in  the  interests  of  neutrality, 
the  governor's  favorite  scheme,  and  in  the  end 
falling  very  naturally  into  the  ranks  of  the  en 
emies  of  the  Union.  Titus  raised  a  company 
of  Home  Guards,  in  which  thousands  of  the  citi 
zens  of  the  State  were  organized,  some  on  one 
and  some  on  the  other  side  of  the  question. 

Titus  was  ambitious,  and  he  was  chosen  captain 
of  his  company.  He  displayed  more  energy  and 
activity  than  he  had  ever  manifested  in  his  bus 
iness,  and  spent  his  money  recklessly  in  fitting 


24  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

out  and  arming  his  recruits.  He  purchased  a 
considerable  quantity  of  muskets,  cannon,  and 
revolvers,  with  the  ammunition  for  them.  He 
concealed  these  military  supplies  in  a  "sink,"  or 
cave,  till  he  could  organize  his  command.  One 
of  Noah's  sons  discovered  them  while  exploring 
the  creek  that  flowed  by  Riverlawn. 

When  the  discovery  was  reported  to  his  father, 
Major  Lyon,  as  he  was  courteously  called  before 
he  was  entitled  to  this  handle  to  his  name,  im 
mediately  decided  that  his  duty  to  his  country 
required  him  to  take  possession  of  the  arms  and 
munitions.  They  were  all  removed  to  a  building 
prepared  for  their  reception  at  Riverlawn.  Cap 
tain  Titus  knew,  or  suspected,  that  his  brother 
had  taken  the  military  supplies,  and  his  wrath 
knew  no  bounds.  When  the  Union  men  held 
a  meeting  in  a  schoolhouse  the  smouldering  fire 
was  fanned  into  a  blaze.  The  ruffians,  led  on 
by  their  captain,  inarched  upon  Riverlawn,  pro 
posing  to  burn  the  mansion  and  hang  its  owner 
to  a  tree  on  the  lawn,  though  Titus  denied  that 
he  had  any  such  intention,  and  declared  that 
he  had  prevented  his  followers  from  committing 
this  outrage. 


GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST      25 

Major  Lyon  had  heard  of  the  threats  against 
him  and  his  property,  and  he  was  prepared  for 
the  marauders.  With  the  aid  of  his  neighbors, 
and  arming  his  negroes,  he  fought  the  "  Battle 
of  Riverlawn,"  defeating  and  dispersing  the  ruf 
fians.  Then,  as  arranged  at  the  Union  meeting, 
he  proceeded  to  raise  a  company  of  cavalry.  The 
enthusiasm  among  the  loyal  people  was  immense, 
and  two  companies  were  enlisted  and  mustered 
in.  Against  his  wishes  he  was  chosen  major  of 
the  battalion. 

Levi  Bedford  was  his  overseer.  He  was  a 
Tennessee  Unionist  in  whom  the  planter  had 
unbounded  confidence.  When  the  major  left 
his  home  in  command  of  the  squadron  of  two 
companies,  Levi  took  charge  of  his  family  and 
estate.  This  family  consisted  of  a  daughter 
Hope,  and  a  son  Dexter,  now  a  lieutenant  at 
eighteen.  Noah  had  brought  up  in  his  family 
from  their  early  childhood  the  children  of  a 
brother  who  died  penniless  in  Vermont.  Arte- 
mas,  always  called  Artie,  was  sixteen,  and  a 
soldier  in  one  of  the  companies.  Dorcas,  the 
adopted  daughter,  was  eighteen.  They  had  al- 


26 

ways  been  a  happy  family;  and  all  the  young 
people  called  Noah  and  his  wife,  who  treated 
them  as  their  own,  father  and  mother. 

The  squadron  had  been  on  detached  duty. 
Their  first  service  was  to  protect  a  railroad 
bridge  which  Captain  Titus's  company  and  a 
troop  of  Texan  cavalry  had  been  sent  to  de 
stroy  in  order  to  prevent  the  transportation  of 
Union  forces  to  Bowling  Green.  The  Texans 
were  thoroughly  defeated,  and  the  Home  Guards 
surrounded,  beaten,  and  captured.  The  major's 
brother  was  sent  with  them  to  the  North,  where 
he  had  the  opportunity  to  repent  and  get  so 
ber.  His  two  sons,  Alexander  and  Orlando, 
half  starved  and  disgusted,  had  fled  from  Bowl 
ing  Green;  and  when  their  mother  and  sisters 
went  back  to  the  North,  the  two  boys  had  en 
listed  in  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry. 

The  next  service  of  the  squadron  was  in  re 
pressing  guerilla  outrages  ;  and  they  took  part 
in  the  small  battle  of  Munfordsville.  When  it 
was  known  that  the  Confederates  were  march 
ing  into  Kentucky  from  the  south  and  east,  the 
squadron  was  sent  to  take  part  in  the  opera- 


GRACE  MORGAN  AND  HER  TREASURE-CHEST       27 

tions  in  this  quarter.  The  command  arrived  at 
Columbia,  from  which  Major  Lyon  sent  the  first 
company  towards  Mill  Springs,  where  the  enemy 
were  reported  to  be,  by  the  way  of  Liberty  and 
Milton ville.  The  second  company  were  to  pro 
ceed  by  Millersville  and  Jamestown,  with  the 
same  objective  point  in  view. 


28  A    LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   II 

PREPARATIONS    FOR    DECISIVE   ACTION 

CAPTAIN  GORDON  was  in  command  of  the  first 
company  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry.  He  was  an 
excellent  officer,  and  had  been  sent  down  to  or 
ganize  the  company,  and  Major  Lyon  wished  him 
to  take  the  command  of  the  battalion  ;  but  he  in 
sisted  that  the  planter  should  have  that  position. 
The  wealthy  and  influential  men  of  the  county, 
among  whom  the  major  was  honored  and  re 
spected,  persuaded  him  to  accept;  and  he  had 
finally  done  so,  Captain  Gordon  being  the  most 
strenuous  that  he  should  do  so. 

Tom  Belthorpe,  the  son  of  a  planter  residing 
near  Riverlawn,  was  the  first  lieutenant.  Deck 
Lyon,  as  he  had  always  been  called  by  every 
body  but  his  father,  had  proved  to  be  one  of 
"  the  bravest  of  the  brave,"  and  to  have  excel 
lent  judgment  for  a  young  man  of  eighteen. 
He  was  a  universal  favorite  throughout  the 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   DECISIVE  ACTION        29 

squadron.  In  the  battles  with  the  guerillas  at 
Greeltop  and  Plain  Hill,  Deck  had  greatly  dis 
tinguished  himself.  In  the  first  of  these  actions, 
Lieutenant  Gilder  of  the  first  company  had  been 
killed,  and  his  place  was  vacant.  Among  them 
selves  the  company  signed  a  paper  in  favor  of 
the  promotion  of  Deck  to  the  grade  of  lieu 
tenant. 

Major  Lyon  had  no  knowledge  of  this  move 
ment  on  the  part  of  the  men,  or  perhaps  he 
would  have  interfered  to  prevent  its  success; 
but  the  paper  went  to  higher  authority  than 
he,  indorsed  by  Captain  Gordon  and  Lieutenant 
Belthorpe ;  and  when  the  commission  came  it 
was  as  much  of  a  surprise  to  the  father  as  to 
the  son. 

Wearing  his  new  uniform,  with  shoulder-straps, 
he  had  fought  as  bravely  as  ever  at  Munfords- 
ville,  and  had  led  his  platoon  with  skill  and  dis 
cretion.  Though  in  an  attack  of  cavalry  he  led 
his  men  into  action,  he  was  not  again  charged 
with  recklessness,  as  he  had  been  in  the  action 
at  the  Cross  Roads,  as  the  fight  at  the  other 
railroad  bridge  was  called.  He  conducted  him- 


30  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

self  with  dignity  in  his  new  position,  and  all  of 
a  sudden  he  seemed  to  forget  that  he  was  only 
a  boy. 

The  first  company  had  marched  down  the  road 
towards  the  South  not  more  than  three  miles, 
before  the  forward  movement  was  arrested  by 
a  messenger,  coming  in  through  a  path  from 
the  road  to  Breedings  with  the  information  that 
a  guerilla  or  foraging  party  were  approaching  a 
hamlet,  evidently  with  the  intention  of  plunder 
ing  the  houses  and  out-buildings.  It  was  known 
that  the  Confederate  forces,  who  had  established 
and  fortified  themselves  in  and  around  Mill 
Springs,  were  destitute  of  supplies.  They  were 
in  a  hungry  or  half-starved  condition,  and  their 
food  was  obtained  mostly  by  foraging  parties 
sent  a  considerable  distance  from  their  camps. 

Major  Lyon  had  divided  his  squadron  at  Co 
lumbia  in  order  to  check  the  operations  of  these 
bodies,  some  of  which  were  said  to  be  regular 
partisan  bands,  robbing  and  plundering  for  their 
own  benefit,  and  not  authorized  to  procure  sup 
plies  for  the  Southern  army.  Captain  Gordon 
had  been  instructed  to  be  on  the  lookout  for 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   DECISIVE   ACTION         31 

these  marauders.  The  messenger  said  the  party 
approaching  the  Breedings  road  consisted  of  about 
thirty  mounted  men.  He  decided  to  send  Lieu 
tenant  Belthorpe's  platoon  to  attack  them,  ac 
companying  the  force  himself,  for  he  could  not 
remain  inactive  when  there  was  fighting  to  be 
done. 

The  captain  had  not  expected  to  meet  an 
enemy  in  the  direction  of  Breedings ;  but  he 
had  received  an  intimation  that  trouble  might 
be  expected  in  the  region  between  Columbia 
and  Harrison,  though  nothing  was  known  in 
regard  to  such  a  raid.  The  country  was  cut 
up  by  cross-roads,  not  much  more  than  mere 
paths,  on  which  several  plantations  were  located, 
making  the  territory  very  favorable  to  the  opera 
tions  of  guerillas  or  foragers. 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon,  I  am  going  with  Belthorpe's 
platoon,  for  I  am  more  likely  to  be  needed  where 
he  goes  than  where  you  go,"  said  Captain  Gor 
don,  riding  up  to  the  young  officer.  "You  will 
continue  on  this  road  till  you  come  to  Millers- 
ville,  and  wait  there  until  I  join  you." 

"At  Millersville,"    repeated   Deck.      "I   have 


82  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

studied  the  map,  and  I  know  just  where  it 
is." 

"I  talked  with  a  planter  just  this  side  of  Co 
lumbia,  who  gave  me  a  hint  that  marauding 
parties  had  a  fine  chance  to  operate  in  the 
country  that  will  be  on  your  left  as  you  pro 
ceed,"  continued  the  commander  of  the  com 
pany.  "If  you  hear  firing,  or  see  anything  that 
looks  like  a  fire,  you  will  attend  to  the  matter." 

"Of  course  I  should  do  so,"  added  Deck. 

"  I  want  you  to  hurry  up  the  baggage  wag 
ons,  for  they  are  what  makes  our  progress  so 
slow.  I  need  hardly  warn  you  to  be  prudent, 
and  not  expose  yourself  unnecessarily  to  a  su 
perior  force.  Don't  leave  your  wagons  too  far 
in  your  rear,  for  they  contain  just  what  the 
enemy  want  most.  Now,  relying  as  much  upon 
your  discretion  as  your  bravery,  continue  on 
your  march  to  Millers ville,"  the  captain  con 
cluded,  as  he  galloped  after  the  first  platoon, 
which  had  left  the  road  a  few  minutes  before. 

Lieutenant  Lyon  saluted  his  superior,  and  then, 
conscious  for  the  first  time  in  his  life  that  he 
had  been  assigned  to  an  independent  command, 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   DECISIVE   ACTION         33 

though  it  was  likely  to  be  of  brief  duration,  he 
sent  for  the  two  sergeants  of  his  platoon,  and 
sent  them  forward  as  scouts,  with  two  privates 
to  assist  them.  . 

"  Platoon  —  attention  !  Forward  —  march  !  " 
called  the  young  officer,  when  he  had  sent  the 
scouts  ahead  with  orders  to  keep  a  sharp  look 
out  on  both  sides,  especially  on  the  left. 

Life  Knox  obeyed  his  orders  to  the  letter,  and 
made  the  left  his  particular  study  ;  and  when  he 
saw  something  like  signs  of  a  plantation  in  the 
distance,  he  dismounted,  got  over  the  fence,  mov 
ing  in  a  direction  to  satisfy  himself  that  no 
foragers  were  in  sight.  As  he  was  advancing 
towards  the  plantation,  Grace  Morgan  came  out 
of  a  bushy  knoll  and  confronted  him.  After  the 
interview  with  her,  he  had  carried  the  treasure- 
chest  to  the  road.  He  had  sent  the  two  privates 
to  the  left ;  and  as  Sergeant  Fronklyn  galloped 
off  to  hurry  up  the  platoon,  they  rode  down  the 
road,  and  halted  in  front  of  him.  One  of  these 
soldiers  was  Deck's  cousin,  Alick  Lyon. 

"  Have  you  seen  or  heard  anything  crooked, 
Lyon  ?  "  asked  the  chief  scout. 


34  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  Not  a  thing,  Sergeant ;  I  thought  I  heard 
voices  one  time,  but  I  could  make  nothing  of 
them.  I  saw  this  woman  walking  across  a  corn 
field  ;  "  and  he  pointed  at  Grace. 

"  I  saw  him  too ;  but  I  was  afraid  of  him," 
added  the  young  woman. 

"  Wasn't  you  afeerd  of  me  ?  "  asked  the  ser 
geant,  with  a  smile  on  his  wiry  face. 

"  No,  I  was  not ;  besides,  I  was  tired  out  with 
the  load  I  carried,  and  I  felt  as  though  I  could 
go  no  farther." 

"  How  far  from  here  does  Colonel  Halliburn 
live?"  asked  Life. 

"  It  is  more  than  a  mile  from  this  road." 

"  I  reckon  this  box  will  not  be  very  safe  with 
him,  for  there's  more  gorillas  runnin'  loose  about 
this  country  than  there  is  skippers  in  an  old 
cheese.  Kin  you  ride  horseback,  Grace  ?  " 

"  Every  Kentucky  girl  can  ride  horseback," 
replied  she,  with  the  first  smile  he  had  yet  seen 
on  her  face,  perhaps  because  she  expected  to  be 
sent  to  Colonel  Halliburn's  mansion. 

"  But  we  hain't  got  no  side-saddle,"  suggested 
Life. 


^REPARATIONS   FOR  DECISIVE  ACTION        35 

"  I  can  get  along  very  well  on  any  saddle  ; 
and  I  have  ridden  a  spirited  animal  without  any 
saddle,"  said  the  lady. 

"  Perhaps  you  would  like  to  enlist  in  our 
company,"  added  the  sergeant,  with  a  heavy 
chuckle. 

"  I  should  like  it  first-rate,  if  it  could  be 
allowed,"  replied  Grace,  with  energy,  while  her 
eyes  snapped  at  the  idea. 

"  I  shall  have  to  leave  that  matter  to  Major 
Lyon.  But  here  comes  the  platoon,"  said  Life, 
as  thirty-five  or  forty  men  dashed  down  the  road, 
led  by  Lieutenant  Lyon. 

"  Where  are  the  enemy,  Sergeant  ?  "  demanded 
the  officer,  as  he  reined  in  his  panting  steed  some 
distance  in  advance  of  his  men,  and  in  front  of 
Life  and  Grace  Morgan. 

"  Half  "a  mile  or  more  to  the  east  of  where  we 
stand,"  replied  the  scout. 

"  Is  there  a  road  or  path  over  there  ? "  in 
quired  Deck. 

"  This  is  Grace  Morgan,  and  she  can  tell  you 
all  about  it,  for  she  brought  me  the  news,"  an 
swered  Life,  presenting  the  young  woman. 


36  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

The  lieutenant  raised  his  cap  and  bowed  po 
litely  to  the  Kentucky  damsel ;  and  he  could  not 
help  observing  that  she  was  a  very  pretty  girl, 
though  he  had  no  time  to  indulge  in  the  phrases 
of  gallantry,  even  if  his  fealty  to  Miss  Kate  Bel- 
thorpe  had  permitted  him  to  do  so.  This  fair 
young  lady  was  the  sister  of  Lieutenant  Bel- 
thorpe,  and  Deck  had  made  her  acquaintance  on 
the  evening  of  the  "  Battle  of  Riverlawn,"  when 
he  had  rescued  her  from  the  grasp  of  a  ruffian. 
He  was  too  young  to  be  absolutely  in  love  with 
the  maiden,  though  he  believed  she  was  the 
prettiest  girl  in  the  State  of  Kentucky. 

Miss  Morgan  repeated  the  story  she  had  told 
the  sergeant. 

"  How  did  you  escape  from  the  ruffians  ? " 
asked  Deck. 

"  We  saw  them  coming  from  the  direction  of 
Miltonville ;  and  Mr.  Halliburn,  who  is  my  guar 
dian,  sent  me  to  carry  his  valuables  to  the  mansion 
of  his  brother,  about  a  mile  and  a  half  from  his 
own  house,"  replied  Grace,  by  this  time  quite 
reassured  by  the  presence  of  the  soldiers. 

"  Have  you  the  valuables  now  ?  " 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   DECISIVE   ACTION         37 

"  They  are  in  a  box,"  she  replied,  pointing  to 
the  treasure-chest.  "It  contains  a  good  deal  of 
money  in  gold  and  silver,  and  it  is  so  heavy 
that  I  could  not  carry  it  any  farther,  for  I  was 
faint  and  tired  out." 

"  I  will  send  two  of  my  men  to  see  you  safely 
to  the  house  where  you  are  going,"  continued 
the  lieutenant,  as  he  glanced  at  his  platoon, 
which  had  halted  in  the  road  near  the  place 
where  the  maiden  stood.  "  Life,  name  two  of 
your  trustiest  men,"  he  added  in  a  low  tone  to 
the  sergeant. 

"Fronklyn  and  Sandy  Lyon,"  responded  Life 
promptly.  "  The  lady  can  ride  on  an  army 
saddle,  or  even  without  any  saddle." 

"  Send  the  men  you  mention ;  as  our  spare 
horses  are  with  the  baggage-wagons,  you  can 
wait  till  they  come  up.  Is  there  any  road,  Miss 
Morgan,  across  these  fields  to  your  guardian's 
mansion  ? "  added  Deck,  willing  that  his  men 
should  rest  for  a  few  minutes,  for  he  was  not 
inclined  to  fight  his  first  battle,  while  in  com' 
mand,  without  fully  understanding  the  situation. 

"There  is  a  rough  road  across  the  fields  and 


38  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

through  the  woods  to  the  mansion;  but  it  is 
very  soft  and  muddy,"  replied  Grace. 

"There  comes  a  man  across  the  field!  "  ex 
claimed  Life. 

"  That  is  Win  Milton !  "  cried  the  maiden, 
her  face  suffused  with  a  blush,  as  though  she 
supposed  all  the  listeners  understood  her  rela 
tions  to  the  young  man,  who  was  now  running 
with  all  the  speed  of  his  legs  across  the  field. 

He  was  a  stalwart  fellow,  and  the  maiden's 
crimson  cheeks  betrayed  the  whole  story.  He 
was  well  dressed,  and  his  face  was  intelligent 
and  expressive. 

"I  am  so  glad  you  have  come,  Win,"  ejacu 
lated  the  blushing  beauty,  as  the  young  man 
grasped  her  offered  hands.  "  What  is  the  news 
from  the  house  ?  " 

"  The  ruffians  are  guerillas,  and  they  are  try 
ing  to  make  Mr.  Halliburn  give  up  his  money, 
but  he  declared  that  he  had  not  a  dollar  in 
the  house ;  yet  he  found  time  to  tell  me  that 
you  had  taken  the  chest  containing  it  to  his 
brother's,"  replied  Winfield  Milton,  which  was 
his  full  name.  "  The  robbers  were  ransacking 


PREPARATIONS   FOR   DECISIVE   ACTION         39 

the  house  in  search  of  the  money  or  other  valu 
ables;  and  Mr.  Halliburn  insisted  that  I  should 
follow  you,  for  he  was  alarmed  in  regard  to 
you?  safety." 

"Mr.  Win —  I  have  not  heard  your  name 
yet,"  interposed  the  lieutenant. 

"  This  is  Mr.  Winfield  Milton,  of  Miltonville," 
added  Grace,  with  another  blush. 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Milton,  for  you 
can  be  of  service  to  me.  I  suppose  you  are 
acquainted  with  this  locality  ?  "  replied  Deck. 

"  Born  and  raised  in  these  parts,  Captain." 

"Lieutenant  Lyon,  if  you  please.  I  have 
already  detailed  two  of  my  men  to  conduct 
Miss  Morgan  to  the  mansion  where  she  wishes 
to  go,  for  I  desire  to  employ  you  as  my  guide, 
if  the  lady  will  consent,"  continued  Deck. 

"  Certainly  I  will  consent !  "  exclaimed  Grace. 
"I  would  guide  you  myself,  if  I  had  not  to 
take  care  of  the  treasure-chest." 

"I  shall  be  very  glad  to  serve  you,  Lieuten 
ant,"  added  Win. 

Although  not  ten  minutes  had  elapsed  since 
the  arrival  of  the  officer  in  command,  the  bag- 


40  A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

gage  wagons  were  in  sight.  Men  were  sent  to 
them  for  two  of  the  extra  horses,  saddled  for 
immediate  use.  One  of  them  was  given  to 
Miss  Morgan,  Sergeant  Fronklyn  received  the 
treasure-chest  on  his  horse,  and  Sandy  Lyon 
was  sent  on  ahead  to  scout  the  path.  The 
lady  seated  herself  on  the  army  saddle,  and  the 
party  moved  off  as  rapidly  as  the  muddy  road 
would  permit. 


THE  LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  41 


CHAPTER  III 

THE   LIEUTENANT   BAGS    HIS    GAME 

THE  Riverlawn  Cavalry  had  lost  a  number  of 
its  men,  who  had  been  killed  in  the  several  actions 
in  which  it  had  been  engaged,  and  a  greater  num 
ber  had  been  disabled  by  wounds;  though  both 
companies  had  been  recruited  up  to  their  full 
standard.  The  squadron  was  so  popular  that 
more  than  twenty  had  applied  to  enlist  after  its 
ranks  were  full.  Deck  had,  therefore,  his  full 
quota,  and  two  more. 

"  The  other  horse  is  for  you,  Mr.  Milton,"  said 
the  lieutenant,  when  he  was  ready  to  move  on  to 
the  mansion  invested  by  the  ruffians. 

"  Thank  you,  Lieutenant  Lyon  ;  I  left  my  horse 
a  mile  beyond  Mr.  Halliburn's,  when  I  learned 
that  the  guerillas  were  going  in  that  direction," 
replied  the  guide.  "  I  am  satisfied,  now  that 
Grace  is  safe." 

"  There  is  another  band  of  guerillas  or  foragers 


42  A  LlEtTTENAKT   AT   EIGHTEEN1 

in  the  direction  of  Breedings  ;  but  the  first  pla 
toon  of  our  company  has  gone  over  to  give  them 
a  reception,  and  I  don't  believe  any  of  them  will 
get  as  far  south  as  the  house  to  which  Miss  Mor 
gan  is  going,"  Deck  explained. 

"  I  hope  not,  for  I  am  very  anxious  about 
Grace,"  added  the  guide. 

"  She  is  a  very  attractive  young  lady,"  sug 
gested  Deck. 

"  Which  makes  her  peril  all  the  greater,"  re 
plied  her  intended,  for  such  he  was,  as  they 
entered  a  forest  of  black  walnut.  "  We  have  tried 
to  persuade  her  to  go  to  her  uncle's  house  in 
Springfield,  Ohio ;  but  she  refuses  to  leave  her 
guardian,  who  lias  been  a  father  to  her  from  her 
childhood.  I  shall  get  my  horse,  if  the  ruffians 
have  not  stolen  him,  and  hasten  to  Colonel  Hal- 
liburn's,  as  soon  as  you  have  disposed  of  these 
villains." 

"  I  shall  try  to  bag  the  whole  of  them?"  said 
Deck.  "  But  so  many  prisoners  would  be  a  nui 
sance  to  me." 

"  There  is  a  loyal  Home  Guard  in  Millersville, 
if  the  Confederates  have  not  scattered  them  ;  and 


THE   LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  43 

they  would  take  care  of  your  prisoners,"  suggested 
the  guide. 

"  Now,  Mr.  Milton,  " 

"  Call  me  Win,  as  everybody  else  does,  and 
that  will  save  time,"  interposed  the  young  man. 

"  As  you  please,  Win ;  the  name  is  shorter, 
and  perhaps  you  will  recognize  it  more  readily 
because  it  is  more  familiar  to  you  than  one  with 
a  handle  to  it.  Now,  I  want  to  know  something 
more  about  the  surroundings  of  Mr.  Halliburn's 
mansion.  I  wonder  that  this  gentleman  is  not  a 
colonel,  like  most  people  of  any  importance  in 
this  State." 

"  He  was  formerly  a  clergyman,  and  sometimes 
officiates  now  on  an  emergency.  That  fact  saved 
him  from  any  military  infliction.  Then  his  brother 
is  a  real  colonel,  and  two  of  the  same  title  would 
have  made  confusion  in  talking  about  them,"  the 
guide  explained. 

The  mud  was  so  deep  that  no  great  speed  could 
be  made  on  the  march,  and  the  guerillas  were  not 
likely  to  complete  their  mission  for  some  hours, 
for  they  seldom  left  a  plundered  house  without 
requiring  a  meal  to  be  provided  for  them.  Still, 


44  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  lieutenant  pushed  on  with  all  practicable 
haste. 

"  How  does  the  land  lie  about  the  house  ?  " 
asked  Deck. 

"All  the  land  cultivated  on  the  plantation, 
which  contains  over  a  thousand  acres,  is  on  the 
east  side  of  the  mansion.  Most  of  the  ground  on 
the  west  of  it  is  in  walnut;  for  in  the  dry  season 
it  is  easily  hauled  to  the  Cumberland  River,  and 
carried  to  a  market  during  high  water.  It  is  a 
profitable  crop  to  the  planter." 

"  Does  the  walnut  grove  reach  as  far  as  the 
mansion  ?  " 

"  Very  nearly.  There  is  a  small  grove  south 
of  the  house,  and  a  wooded  hill  to  the  north-east 
of  it." 

"  Very  well ;  I  think  I  have  got  the  idea  of 
it,"  replied  Deck,  as  he  relapsed  into  silence  to 
study  his  plan. 

Though  he  had  a  great  deal  of  confidence  in 
himself,  he  was  fully  conscious  of  the  responsi 
bility  which  rested  upon  him.  Probably  if  Cap 
tain  Gordon  had  suspected  that  the  lieutenant  at 
eighteen  would  encounter  an  enemy,  he  would 


THE  LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  45 

have  come  with  the  platoon  himself,  though  he 
had  quite  as  much  confidence  in  Deck  as  in  Tom 
Belthorpe.  But  the  other  division  was  reasonably 
sure  to  engage  an  enemy,  and  doubtless  this  con 
sideration  had  decided  the  question  as  to  which 
he  should  accompany. 

"  This  wood  extends  around  to  the  north  side 
of  the  mansion,  if  I  understand  the  situation," 
said  Deck,  when  he  had  arranged  the  attack  in 
his  own  mind. 

"  Precisely  so,"  replied  the  guide. 

"  That  is  on  our  left ;  how  is  it  on  the  right, 
Win  ?  " 

"  You  come  out  of  the  woods  into  a  corn 
field;  beyond  this  is  a  low  hill,  and  beyond 
it  is  a  grove,  where  the  family  walk  in  warm 
weather." 

"  How  far  are  we  from  the  mansion  now  ?  " 

"Something  more  than  a  hundred  rods." 

"  Platoon  —  halt !  "  said  the  lieutenant,  sud 
denly  whirling  his  horse  about  as  on  a  pivot. 
"  Sergeant  Knox  !  " 

Life  rode  up  to  him,  saluted,  and  waited 
for  further  orders. 


46  A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  With  fifteen  men  you  will  move  to  the 
left  through  the  woods  till  you  come  to  the 
mansion  now  directly  in  front  of  us.  Move 
without  noise,  and  halt  your  force  as  near  the 
house  as  you  can  without  being  seen  by  the 
enemy,  who  are  too  busy  to  notice  anything 
just  now.  When  the  bugle  sounds  the  'Ad 
vance,'  you  will  march  at  a  gallop  to  the  east 
side  of  the  house.  Do  you  understand  me, 
Life  ? "  said  Deck,  speaking  very  clearly,  but 
in  a  low  tone. 

"I'll  bet  I  do;  shall  I  repeat  the  orders?" 
replied  the  sergeant. 

"It  is  not  necessary." 

Deck  then  directed  Corporal  Tilford,  another 
non-commissioned  officer,  to  take  twelve  men 
and  proceed  to  the  right,  through  the  corn 
field,  concealing  himself  behind  the  hill  men 
tioned  by  Win,  and  halt  in  the  grove.  At 
the  same  signal,  a  second  time  given,  the  cor 
poral  was  to  march  his  men  in  haste  to  the 
front  of  the  mansion.  The  two  detachments 
went  to  the  left  and  the  right  as  directed, 
and  the  lieutenant  continued  the  march  directly 


THE   LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  47 

to  his  destination.  The  stable  of  the  planta 
tion  was  the  first  building  they  saw,  for  the 
west  side  of  the  mansion  was  concealed  by  a 
dozen  lofty  trees.  If  the  ruffians  were  still 
in  the  house,  they  appeared  to  have  taken  no 
precautions  to  guard  against  a  surprise :  for  there 
was  no  sentinel,  and  no  person  could  be  seen 
near  the  mansion: 

"  Platoon  —  halt !  "  said  Deck,  when  he  had 
led  his  men  into  the  shelter  of  the  trees ;  but 
he  spoke  in  a  very  low  tone,  for  he  was  not 
more  than  fifty  feet  from  the  mansion. 

Taking  the  bugler  and  the  guide  with  him, 
he  crept  carefully  around  the  principal  build 
ing,  halting  at  the  corner.  From  this  point 
he  obtained  a  full  view  of  the  ground  in  front. 
He  counted  twenty-two  horses,  secured  to  a 
fence  and  in  other  places  where  it  could  be 
done.  This  he  concluded  was  the  force  of  the 
enemy.  He  could  hear  very  loud  noises  and 
shouts  within  the  mansion,  and  the  sounds 
appeared  to  come  from  the  upper  story  of  the 
building.  It  was  evident  that  the  marauders 
had  searched  the  lower  part  of  the  house,  and 


48  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

were  now  engaged  in  going  through  the  upper 
portion. 

"Was  it  known  that  Mr.  Halliburn  had  a 
large  sum  of  money  in  his  house  ?  "  asked  Deck 
in  a  whisper  of  the  guide. 

"  Probably  it  was ;  he  kept  it  in  several 
banks  till  recently.  When  he  withdrew  the 
money  from  the  banks,  the  officers  of  these 
institutions  were  incensed  against  him;  for  his 
example  would  be  followed  by  other  influen 
tial  people,  and  the  banks  would  be  ruined," 
Win  explained  in  the  same  low  tone. 

"Stufton,  go  to  the  rear  of  the  house,  and 
send  the  first  six  men  you  come  to  around 
to  me.  Tell  them  to  make  no  noise,"  con 
tinued  the  lieutenant,  .addressing  the  bugler. 

He  was  not  absent  more  than  three  minutes, 
and  the  men  crept  around  the  house  as  though 
they  had  been  engaged  in  a  burglarious  enter 
prise,  securing  their  sabres  so  that  they  did 
not  rattle.  Milton  wondered  what  the  cavalry 
man  in  command  intended  to  do,  but  he  waited 
patiently  for  the  outcome.  Ordering  the  men 
in  a  whisper  to  follow  him,  Deck  stole  silently 


THE  LIEUTENANT  BAGS   HIS   GAME  49 

to  the  portico  of  the  mansion  on  the  east  side, 
which  was  precisely  like  one  on  the  west. 

The  front  door  of  the  mansion  was  wide 
open.  Deck  stationed  his  six  men  on  the  piazza, 
close  to  the  building,  and  then  passed  into  the 
hall  through  the  open  passage.  A  door  on 
each  side  opened  into  as  many  large  apartments. 
The  one  on  the  right  was  plainly  the  parlor. 
On  a  broad  sofa  reclined  a  man  with  white 
hair  and  beard.  He  lay  there,  and  did  not 
move  any  more  than  if  the  breath  had  left  his 
body.  In  the  room  on  the  left  lay  an  elderly 
woman  on  another  sofa,  as  motionless  as  the 
other. 

Heavy  footsteps  could  be  heard  on  the  floors 
of  the  upper  story,  with  the  sound  of  rough 
voices,  from  which  proceeded  a  constant  flow 
of  profanity.  Deck  stepped  out  of  the  hall  to 
the  piazza,  and  called  the  men  to  him  one  at 
a  time,  and  then  stationed  them  in  the  hall 
surrounding  the  staircase  leading  to  the  second 
story. 

"If  any  one  attempts  to  descend  the  stairs, 
warn  him  not  to  do  so,  and  shoot  him  if  he  dis- 


50  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

obeys,"  said  Deck  to  each  of  the  troopers,  who 
had  his  carbine  in  readiness  for  use. 

"Are  there  any  back  stairs  in  the  house, 
Win?  "  asked  Deck  in  the  usual  whisper. 

"  There  are,  by  the  dining-room  in  the  rear," 
replied  the  guide,  who  began  to  understand  the 
method  by  which  the  lieutenant  meant  to  op 
erate,  but  he  said  nothing. 

Deck  went  to  the  west  door  of  the  mansion, 
opened  it,  and  called  three  more  men,  whom  he 
instructed  as  he  had  the  others,  and  stationed 
them  at  the  foot  of  the  back  stairs.  Calling 
a  corporal  and  a  private,  he  sent  them  to  Life 
and  Tilford,  with  an  order  to  secure  all  horses, 
and  load  their  carbines,  putting  their  revolvers 
in  their  belts.  Then  they  were  to  wait  for  the 
signal  from  the  bugle. 

"  Now  we  will  look  into  the  two  rooms,  and 
see  if  the  man  and  woman  on  the  sofas  are 
dead,"  said  Deck  to  the  guide.  "  Come  with 
me,  Win,  if  you  please." 

Milton  had  not  entered  the  house  before,  and 
had  not  seen  the  persons  on  the  sofas.  He  fol 
lowed  the  lieutenant  into  the  room  where  the 


THE   LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  51 

man  lay.  Going  nearer  to  him  than  before,  he 
discovered  that  the  gentleman  was  strapped  to 
the  sofa  so  that  he  could  not  move. 

"  It  is  Mr.  Halliburn !  "  was  the  whispered 
exclamation  of  Win. 

"  Hush !  Don't  speak,  sir,"  said  Deck,  as  he 
proceeded  to  remove  the  straps  which  bound 
him,  aided  by  the  guide. 

"Not  a  sound,  sir!"  continued  the  young 
officer.  "  You  are  safe,  and  so  is  Miss  Mor 
gan,  and  also  the  treasure-chest.  Not  a  word!" 

Win  assisted  him  to  sit  up  on  the  sofa,  and 
then  went  into  the  other  front  room  with  Deck. 
The  latter  warned  her  as  he  had  the  man  not 
to  speak,  and  then  asked  the  guide  who  she 
was,  while  both  of  them  began  at  once  to  re 
move  her  bonds. 

"Mrs.  Halliburn,"  replied  Win,  who  assisted 
her  to  rise  as  soon  as  she  was  liberated. 

"Now,  Win,  if  you  wish  to  go  and  find  your 
horse,  I  can  spare  you,  though  I  should  like 
very  well  to  have  you  remain  longer." 

"I  want  to  see  this  thing  through,"  answered 
Milton.  "I  have  seen  you  pile  up  all  the  inci- 


52  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

dents  of  this  affair,  like  those  in  a  novel ;  and 
now  I  want  to  see  you  pull  out  the  pin  in  the 
last  chapter,  and  let  everything  down  in  a  heap. 
I  suppose  Grace  is  safe -with  your  men  to  guard 
her." 

"I  will  vouch  for  her  safety.  I  am  going  to 
pull  out  the  pin  now,"  added  Deck,  as  he  beck 
oned  the  bugler  to  follow  him  to  the  front  or 
east  piazza. 

He  ordered  him  to  sound  the  "Advance,"  and 
the  command  was  promptly  obeyed.  The  ringing 
notes  of  the  startling  call  sounded  clearly  in  the 
silence  of  the  retired  locality,  and  it  could  have 
been  heard  at  least  half  a  mile.  Life  Knox's 
force  came  first,  and  Deck  directed  the  sergeant 
to  surround  the  house,  and  shoot  down  any 
guerilla  that  attempted  to  escape.  The  bugle 
sounded  the  second  call,  and  Corporal  Tilford 
and  his  dozen  men  appeared  in  front  of  the 
mansion.  The  sergeant  continued  to  station  the 
men  till  all  of  them  were  in  position. 

The  marauders  flocked  to  the  windows,  and 
found  half  a  dozen  carbines  pointed  at  each 
opening.  It  checked  their  enthusiasm  at  once. 


THE   LIEUTENANT   BAGS   HIS   GAME  53 

At  the  staircase  those  who  proposed  to  descend 
found  as  many  pieces  aimed  at  them.  It  looked 
just  then  as  though  Lieutenant  Lyon  had  bagged 
the  twenty-two  guerillas  in  the  upper  story  of 
the  mansion. 


54  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   IV 

A   REFRACTORY   GUERILLA   CHIEF 

THE  situation  did  not  look  hopeful  to  the 
ruffians  who  had  taken  possession  of  the  mansion. 
They  saw  at  least  forty  carbines  pointed  at  them, 
and  the  staircase  looked  like  a  barred  gate  to 
them.  Their  heavy  footsteps  could  be  heard 
in  the  lower  story  as  they  walked  about  from 
one  window  to  another,  searching  for  some 
avenue  of  escape.  Life  Knox  was  passing  around 
the  house,  assisted  by  Corporal  Tilford,  in  readi 
ness  to  meet  the  first  attempt  to  resist  the  fate 
that  was  in  store  for  them. 

The  lieutenant  stood  at  the  front  door,  and 
occasionally  stepped  out-doors  to  assure  him 
self  that  the  house  was  well  covered  by  his 
troopers.  He  was  disposed  to  wait  for  some 
movement  on  the  part  of  the  enemy,  or  to  allow 
them  to  get  accustomed  to  the  situation.  He 
had  fought  guerillas  before ;  and  it  was  not  wise, 


A   REFRACTORY   GUERILLA   CHIEF  55 

in  his  judgment,  to  force  them  suddenly  into 
desperation,  for  they  became  reckless  when  pressed 
too  hard. 

"You  have  got  them  into  a  tight  place,"  said 
Win  Milton,  who  was  watching  the  young  offi 
cer  with  the  most  intense  interest. 

"The  circumstances  have  just  fitted  the  sit 
uation  for  me,"  replied  Deck,  who  kept  his  eyes 
wandering  in  every  direction  in  search  of  any 
demonstration  on  the  part  of  the  ruffians.  "Do 
you  know  any  of  the  men  you  have  seen  about 
the  place,  Win?" 

"I  recognize  one  of  them,  and  I  have  seen 
some  of  the  others,"  replied  the  guide.  "  A 
fellow  who  is  called  Captain  Coonly  seems  to 
be  in  command  of  the  gang.  He  has  been  the 
most  active  Secessionist  in  Adair  County,  and 
the  roost  desperate  one.  He  has  an  intense 
hatred  of  the  Union  men  of  the  vicinity,  and 
has  advocated  hanging  every  one  of  them.  He 
is  a  fire-eater  of  the  most  pronounced  stamp ; 
but  the  rascal  is  a  coward,  I  believe,  though  he 
has  the  reputation  of  being  a  brave  man; 
yet  he  is  nothing  but  a  bully.  You  would 


56  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

think,  to  hear  him  talk,  that  he  was  going  to 
burn  up  the  Cumberland  River." 

"Is  he  the  long-haired  fellow  I  saw  'at  the 
head  of  the  stairs,  dressed  better  than  the  rest 
of  the  gang  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  That  is  the  man.  He  is  well  educated,  and 
is  a  lawyer  in  Columbia;  but  the  influential 
and  conservative  men,  who  are  nearly  all  Union 
ists,  will  have  nothing  to  do  with  him,  and  have 
always  looked  upon  him  as  a  scallawag.  He 
raised  a  company  of  Home  Guards,  but  he  could 
enlist  only  the  ruffians  of  the  vicinity,"  replied 
Milton,  as  he  drew  the  picture  of  the  leader  of 
the  guerillas ;  and  Deck  thought  the  lawyer  was 
not  unlike  some  of  the  Secessionists  of  Butler  and 
Edmonson  Counties. 

"As  you  say,  we  have  the  ruffians  in  a  tight 
place,  and  I  want  to  give  them  a  chance  to  think 
over  the  situation,  and  take  it  in,"  added  Deck. 
"  If  they  want  to  fight,  we  can  accommodate  them 
at  any  moment  they  are  ready  to  open  the  ball. 
I  suppose  they  are  all  armed." 

"  With  old  shot-guns,  horse-pistols,  and  an 
tique  rifles,"  replied  Win  contemptuously. 


A   REFRACTORY   GUERILLA   CHIEF  57 

"  But  even  such  weapons  will  kill ;  and  I 
don't  want  to  lose  my  men  unless  it  is  abso 
lutely  necessary,  for  they  can  be  put  to  a  better 
use  than  in  grinding  up  such  blackguards  as 
we  have  here." 

"  Don't  you  think  they  comprehend  the  situa 
tion  by  this  time  ?  "  asked  Milton,  who  seemed  to 
be  impatient  to  see  the  end  of  the  affair. 

"  I  might  as  well  wait  here  as  at  Millersville ; 
for  Captain  Gordon  has  gone  over  to  Breedings 
to  settle  up  a  case  of  this  kind,  and  he  may  not 
arrive  for  several  hours  yet.  I  will  go  into  the 
house  and  talk  with  Mr.  Halliburn,"  said  Deck, 
as  he  suited  the  action  to  the  word. 

"  I  doubt  if  he  can  give  you  any  information 
you  have  not  already  obtained,"  answered  Milton, 
following  the  lieutenant  into  the  mansion. 

The  planter  and  his  wife  were  found  on  the 
sofas  where  they  had  been  confined;  and  they 
seemed  to  be  still  paralyzed  with  terror,  for  not 
a  few  Union  men  had  been  hung  or  shot  in  the 
State  within  the  preceding  year.  Mr.  Halliburn 
was  a  man  of  sixty  or  more.  He  had  been 
a  clergyman  during  a  considerable  portion  of  his 


58  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

life,  and  he  was  not  at  all  belligerent  in  his 
nature. 

"  Mr.  Halliburn,  this  is  Lieutenant  Lyon,  of 
the  Riverlawn  Cavalry,  serving  the  United  States 
Government,"  said  Win,  presenting  the  young 
officer. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Lieutenant  Lyon  ; 
I  may  say  that  I  am .  rejoiced  to  see  you  at  this 
time,  for  I  am  beset  by  the  children  of  Satan, 
who  would  hang  me  to  the  highest  walnut  in  my 
park,"  said  the  venerable  gentleman,  with  a  sweetly 
religious  smile  on  his  thin  lips,  while  his  eyes 
lighted  up  with  an  expression  in  keeping  with 
the  smile,  which  excited  the  reverence  of  the 
youthful  soldier. 

"I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Halliburn, 
for  I  hope  I  shall  soon  be  able  to  relieve  you 
of  your  troublesome  visitors,"  replied  Deck,  tak 
ing  the  hand  the  planter  extended  to  him. 

"  I  am  not  a  man  of  war  or  blood,  and  I 
have  submitted  with  what  resignation  I  could 
command  to  the  outrages  of  these  myrmidons 
of  sin,"  continued  the  ex-clergyman.  "  They 
learned  in  some  manner  that  I  had  money  in 


A   REFRACTORY   GUERILLA   CHIEF  59 

the  house,  which  belongs  mostly  to  my  ward, 
Miss  Morgan." 

"  I  have  met  her,  and  sent  two  of  my  men 
to  conduct  her  to  the  house  of  your  brother," 
added  Deck. 

"  God  bless  you  for  your  kindness  to  the 
child !  "  exclaimed  Mr.  Halliburn,  grasping  the 
officer's  hand  again.  "  When  I  saw  these  foes 
of  God  and  man  coming  towards  the  mansion,  I 
understood  their  mission ;  and  I  sent  Grace  to 
my  brother's  with  all  the  money  in  the  house. 
I  hoped  to  save  it  for  her  use,  for  nearly  all 
of  it  belongs  to  her.  But  where  is  my  poor 
wife  ?  " 

"  She  is  all  right,  in  the  sitting-room,"  re 
plied  Win.  "I  will  bring  her  in,"  and  he  has 
tened  to  the  other  front  room  for  her. 

Mr.  Halliburn  told  the  lieutenant  that  the 
marauders  had  threatened  to  hang  him  if  he 
did  not  tell  where  his  money  was  concealed. 
He  had  told  them  the  truth,  that  there  was  no 
money  in  the  house ;  but  they  refused  to  be 
lieve  him,  and  had  been  searching  the  house 
for  the  last  hour.  They  had  opened  every 


60  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

drawer  and  closet,  explored  the  cellar,  exam 
ined  the  chimneys  at  each  end  of  the  house, 
and  then  gone  up-stairs  to  continue  the  hunt. 

Mrs.  Halliburn  came  into  the  room,  leaning 
on  the  arm  of  Win  Milton,  who  presented  her 
to  the  lieutenant.  She  looked  like  the  twin- 
sister,  rather  than  the  wife,  of  the  planter,  and 
the  same  pious  expression  was  settled  upon 
her  face.  But  Deck  had  learned  all  he  cared 
to  know  at  present,  and  he  thought  by  this 
time  that  the  guerillas  had  come  to  a  realizing 
sense  of  their  situation.  He  thought  it  was 
time  for  him  to  attend  to  them.  As  he  passed 
out  of  the  parlor,  a  soldier  saluted  him. 

"  One  on  'em  wants  to  speak  to  the  com 
manding  officer,"  said  he,  pointing  to  the  head  of 
the  stairs,  where  the  marauders  were  huddled 
together.  "This  is  the  lieutenant  in  com 
mand,"  added  the  cavalryman,  calling  to  the 
man  who  wished  to  see  him. 

"  What !     that    boy  ?  "    demanded   the    ruffian. 

"Boy  or  man,  I  am  in  command  of  this  de 
tachment  of  United  States  cavalry,"  replied 
Deck,  elevating  his  head  as  high  as  he  could 


A  REFRACTORY   GUERILLA  CHIEF  61 

get  it;  and  he  was  quite  as  tall  as  half  of  his 
platoon.  "If  you  have  anything  to  say  to  me, 
say  it  with  a  civil  tongue  in  your  head." 

"That  is  Captain  Coonly,"  said  Win  in  a 
low  tone. 

"I  have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  I  had 
better  make  terms  with  you,"  replied  the 
leader  of  the  ruffians. 

"I  make  no  terms  with  thieves  and  robbers," 
answered  Deck,  with  dignity  enough  for  a 
major-general.  "I  find  you  engaged  in  plun 
dering  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  threat 
ening  him,  and  ransacking  his  mansion.  Sol 
diers  do  not  engage  in  such  work." 

"I  am  in  the  service  of  the  Southern  Confed 
eracy,"  replied  Captain  Coonly,  evidently  some 
what  crestfallen. 

"Have  you  a  commission  about  you?" 

"Not  yet;  but  I  shall  have  one." 

'<!  look  upon  you  and  your  gang  as  guerillas, 
and  I  shall  treat  you  as  such.  Will  you  surren 
der  to  an  officer  of  the  United  States  ?  " 

"No,  I  won't  surrender !  I  am  willing  to  make 
terms  with  you,  and  will  do  the  fair  thing," 
blustered  the  captain  without  a  commission. 


62  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  I  do  not  make  terms  with  such  as  you  are. 
We  have  talked  enough  on  that  subject,  and 
you  need  not  say  another  word  about  terms ; 
there  is  no  such  word  in  my  book." 

"My  men  are  all  armed  in  good  shape,  and 
they  are  fighting  characters.  All  I  ask  is  fair 
play." 

"  You  shall  have  it ;  and  according  to  the  civil 
law  of  Kentucky,  that  means  the  inside  of  a 
prison-cell  for  such  fellows  as  you  are !  "  an 
swered  the  lieutenant  coolly  and  calmly,  with  no 
display  of  anger;  for  he  was  trying  with  all  his 
might  to  follow  the  excellent  advice  his  father 
had  given  him  for  his  guidance  as  an  officer. 

"  No  civil  law  about  it !  "  exclaimed  Captain 
Coonly,  his  wrath  stirred  up  by  the  mention  of 
a  prison.  "I  am  a  soldier,  and  so  are  my  men. 
I  demand  terms  such  as  one  military  officer 
should  give  to  another." 

"I  do  not  recognize  you  as  a  soldier  in  the 
service  of  the  Confederacy,  which  would  entitle 
you  to  military  consideration,"  Lieutenant  Lyon 
declared  with  as  much  solemnity  as  though  he 
had  been  presiding  over  a  court-martial. 


A  REFRACTORY  GUERILLA  CHIEF  63 

Win  Milton  could  hardly  control  his  risible 
muscles ;  for  he  was  inclined  to  laugh  outright 
as  he  heard  a  young  fellow  of  eighteen  talk  as 
though  he  understood  military  law  as  well  as  he 
did  cavalry  tactics.  But  Deck  had  studied  the 
needed  subjects  for  his  conduct  as  an  officer 
while  others  slept,  and  he  had  improved  every 
opportunity  to  converse  with  Captain  Gordon 
upon  the  laws  and  customs  of  the  service. 

"I  thought  you  said  we  should  have  fair 
play?  "  growled  Captain  Coonly. 

"  I  did ;  and  I  explained  what  fair  play  was 
in  a  case  like  this.  But  we  have  talked  enough 
about  terms ;  and  now  we  will  proceed  to  busi 
ness,  or  to  fight  out  this  thing,  if  you  so  elect," 
said  Deck  very  calmly  but  very  decidedly. 

"But  I  only  ask" — 

"You  need  not  ask  anything!  "  interposed 
the  lieutenant.  "We  have  talked  enough;  now 
will  you  oblige  me  by  coming  down  the  stairs  ?  " 

"What  if  I  decline  to  come  down  the  stairs?" 
demanded  Captain  Coonly. 

"  Then  I  shall  interpret  your  reply  to  mean 
that  you  prefer  to  fight  out  this  matter." 


64  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  But  you  have  us  "- 

"I  have  you,  and  I  propose  to  keep  you.  No 
more  talk!  Come  down-stairs,  Captain  Coonly, 
or  I  will  order  my  men  to  fire !  " 

The  leader  of  the  marauders  hesitated,  and 
then  took  a  single  step  in  the  descent;  he  halted 
there. 

"  I  only  want  to  say  " — 

"  Say  nothing  more !  Come  down,  or  you 
are  a  dead  man  in  another  second !  "  added 
Deck,  still  calm  and  resolute. 

"  Go  down,  Cap !  "  said  several  of  his  follow 
ers  as  they  retired  from  the  dangerous  locality 
at  the  head  of  the  stairs. 

The  captain  did  not  hesitate  any  longer,  but 
descended  the  steps  very  slowly,  as  though  he 
was  marching  at  his  own  funeral. 

"Win,  bring  all  the  cords  and  straps  you  can 
find.  We  shall  want  a  lot  of  them,"  said  Deck 
hi  a  low  tone  to  the  guide.  "Bugler,  go  with 
him  and  help  him  bring  them." 

"This  is  not  fair  play,"  said  the  captain  as 
he  landed  in  the  hall. 

"  No  more  talk !  " 


"COME  DOWN,  OR  YOU  ARE  A  DEAD  MAN." 


Paye  64. 


A   REFRACTORY   GUERILLA   CHIEF  65 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  me  ?  "  de 
manded  Coonly, 

"  You  are  my  prisoner,  and  I  intend  to  secure 
you  properly.  Give  me  your  sword  and  pistols." 

"  I'll  see  you  in"  — 

"  Life  !  "  called  Deck,  as  he  saw  the  stalwart 
sergeant  near  the  front  door. 

"Here,  Leftenant!"  replied  Life  as  he  strode 
into  the  hall  and  made  the  military  salute  to  his 
officer. 

"Disarm  this  man!"  said  Deck,  pointing  to 
the  ruffian  leader. 

The  tall  sergeant  seized  Coonly  by  the  col 
lar  of  his  coat  with  his  left  hand,  held  him  out 
as  though  he  had  been  a  small  boy,  unbuckled 
his  sword-belt,  and  took  two  revolvers  from  his 
pockets  with  his  right.  The  captain  was  a  mid 
dling-sized  man,  and  he  struggled  in  the  gripe 
of  the  powerful  Kentuckian ;  but  he  might  as 
well  have  attempted  to  resist  Hercules  himself. 

"Now  bind  his  arms  behind  him,"  continued 
Deck. 

"  I  protest,  Lieutenant,  against  this  brutal 
treatment !  "  stormed  the  prisoner  in  a  loud 
voice. 


66  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

"All  right;  protest  as  much  as  you  please, 
but  don't  make  too  much  noise  about  it,  or  I 
shall  be  obliged  to  have  you  gagged." 

This  hint  quieted  him ;  and  with  the  aid  of 
the  bugler  he  was  secured  as  the  officer  had 
ordered. 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      67 


CHAPTER  V 

LIEUTENANT     LYON    ENCOUNTERS     ANOTHER 
ENEMY 

SURROUNDED  by  double  their  own  number  of 
soldiers,  armed  with  the  best  weapons,  the  ma 
rauders  imprisoned  in  the  upper  story  of  the 
mansion  could  not  help  realizing  that  their  sit 
uation  was  hopeless.  They  had  not  offered  to 
come  to  the  assistance  of  Captain  Coonly  when 
he  was  in  the  gripe  of  the  stalwart  sergeant;  for 
the  carbines  of  the  cavalrymen  still  covered 
them,  and  they  saw  that  they  would  be  shot 
down  if  they  attempted  to  descend  the  stairs 
without  orders,  or  fired  up9n  their  assailants  in 
the  hall. 

The  captain  was  conducted  into  the  sitting- 
room,  and  a  man  was  placed  at  the  door  to 
keep  watch  of  him.  But  he  was  harmless  by 
this  time ;  as  Win  expressed  it,  "  the  fun  had 
all  gone  out  of  him."  Deck  began  to  think  he 


68  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

had  spent  time  enough  over  the  affair;  and  he 
was  in  a  hurry  to  return  to  the  Millersville 
Road. 

"  Up-stairs  there !  "  he  called  to  the  ruffians, 
who  remained  there  because  they  could  not  es 
cape  without  the  certainty  of  being  shot  whether 
they  attempted  to  leave  by  the  windows  or  the 
stairs.  "  Is  there  any  officer  among  you  ?  " 

"Lieutenant  Billock  is  here,"  replied  one 
of  them. 

"Let  him  show  himself." 

"  That  is  my  name,"  responded  a  fellow  nearly 
as  big  as  Life  Knox  at  the  head  of  the  stairs. 

"Your  commander  is  a  prisoner,  and  you 
rank  next  to  him.  What  do  you  propose  to 
do,  fight  or  surrender  ? "  Deck  inquired  of  him. 

"  What  can  I  do  ? "  asked  the  big  fellow ; 
and  he  had  not  the  air  of  a  fighting-man,  in 
spite  of  his  ample  proportions. 

"  That  is  for  you  to  decide,"  answered  Deck. 

"We  are  surrounded  by  double  our  own 
number,  and  caged  here  like  a  lot  of  mules. 
Give  me  five  minutes  to  talk  to  the  boys,"  re 
turned  the  guerilla  lieutenant. 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      69 

"  All  right ;  but  not  a  minute  more  than 
five,"  added  the  officer  of  cavalry,  as  he  looked 
at  his  watch. 

"  What  are  you  gwine  to  do  with  'em  when 
you  get  'em  ? "  asked  Life  in  a  low  tone. 

"  Turn  them  over  to  Captain  Gordon  when 
I  have  done  my  share  of  the  job,"  answered 
Deck. 

"We  have  concluded  to  surrender,"  said 
Lieutenant  Billock  at  the  head  of  the  stairs. 
"I  don't  see  's  we  kin  help  ourselves  under 
the  sucumstances." 

"  Very  well ;  I  shall  hold  you  as  prisoners, 
and  treat  you  as  I  did  your  captain.  Call  in 
six  more  men,  Life." 

This  additional  force,  carbine  in  hand,  was 
stationed  in  the  hall  by  the  officer,  with  orders 
to  shoot  any  man  who  resisted  or  tried  to  es 
cape  ;  and  the  orders  were  given  in  a  loud  tone, 
so  that  the  prisoners  on  the  floor  above  could 
hear  them. 

"Now  you  will  form  a  line  up  there,  and 
march  down  in  single  file,  six  feet  apart.  Each 
man  will  deposit  all  his  weapons  on  the  floor, 


70  A   LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

and  go  into  the  room  on  the  left,  after  his  arms 
are  tied  behind  him,"  continued  Deck. 

The  prisoners  said  nothing,  and  obeyed  the 
order  in  silence.  Lieutenant  Billock  came  first. 
The  bugler  was  ordered  to  see  that  every  one 
put  all  his  arms  on  the  floor,  and  assist  him  in 
doing  so.  Two  men  tied  his  arms  behind  him, 
and  led  him  to  the  sitting-room.  All  the  others 
followed  him,  and  were  served  in  the  same 
manner.  Twenty-two  men  were  counted  when 
the  ceremony  was  finished.  The  bugler  was 
ordered  to  blow  the  Assembly,  and  the  whole 
platoon  gathered  in  front  of  the  mansion,  which 
faced  the  east. 

Lieutenant  Lyon  appeared  to  have  studied  up 
his  plan,  for  he  was  ready  to  take  the  next 
step  as  soon  as  all  the  prisoners  had  been  se 
cured.  He  next  formed  his  men  in  two  ranks, 
reaching  from  the  mansion  to  the  fence,  where 
the  ruffians  had  hitched  their  horses,  retaining 
the  sergeant  and  half  a  dozen  soldiers  in  the 
hall,  where  he  stood  himself.  Then  he  sent 
half  the  prisoners  out-doors,  with  their  arms 
still  secured  behind  them,  and  directed  Life  in 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      71 

what  manner  to  mount  and  otherwise  dispose 
of  them. 

The  sergeant  called  ten  men  from  the  ranks 
to  assist  him,  and  each  one  of  them  took  a 
ruffian  in  his  charge.  Life  had  Captain  Coonly 
in  his  own  hands.  As  the  prisoners  pointed 
out  their  own  horses,  they  were  conducted  to 
the  fence.  The  cord  or  strap  was  then  loosened 
from  the  left  wrist  of  each,  but  remained  fast 
ened  to  the  right.  They  were  then  required  to 
mount  their  steeds,  which  were  a  sorry-looking 
set  of  animals. 

"Now  you  are  all  right,"  said  Life  when  the 
captain  was  in  his  seat  in  the  saddle. 

"Why  don't  you  take  this  strap  from  my 
right  wrist?"  asked  the  prisoner. 

"Beca'se  I  kin  make  a  better  use  on't,"  re 
plied  the  sergeant,  taking  the  strap  in  his  hand, 
and  making  it  fast  to  the  crupper  strap  behind 
the  rider. 

It  was  drawn  back  far  enough  to  prevent  the 
prisoner  from  reaching  it  with  his  left  hand. 
This  was  a  device  of  Deck  himself;  and  he  had 
treated  a  prisoner  in  this  manner  once  before, 


72  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

and  it  had  succeeded  admirably,  though  his  man 
was  disposed  to  resist.  Life  looked  over  the 
work  the  men  had  done,  and  changed  some  of 
it  when  necessary.  Half  of  the  cavalrymen 
were  then  sent  for  their  horses. 

They  returned  mounted  in  a  few  minutes, 
and  were  placed  in  charge  of  the  prisoners, 
under  Corporal  Tilford.  The  other  half  of  the 
ruffians  were  then  mounted  in  the  same  man 
ner,  and  the  rest  of  the  platoon  went  for  their 
steeds  in  the  grove ;  while  orderly  Sergeant 
Life  formed  the  platoon,  with  the  prisoners  in 
the  centre,  and  half  a  dozen  soldiers  on  their 
flanks,  to  check  the  ambition  of  any  who  at 
tempted  to  escape.  All  was  ready  for  the 
march  to  the  Millersville  Road,  and  Deck  went 
in  to  bid  adieu  to  Mr.  Halliburn  and  his  wife. 

"  I  sincerely  hope  that  you  will  have  no  more 
visits  from  such  ruffians,"  said  he  as  he  took  the 
hand  of  the  ex-clergyman.  "I  am  confident 
this  gang  will  not  molest  you  again.  I  had  my 
men  search  them  as  they  laid  down  their  arms, 
and  they  found  a  few  trinkets,  which  I  passed 
over  to  Mr.  Milton." 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      73 

"All  we  had  of  any  great  value  was  in  the 
treasure-chest  which  Grace  carried  away  before 
the  servants  of  sin  entered  the  mansion.  I  am 
under  such  a  load  of  obligation  to  you,  Lieu 
tenant  Lyon,  that  I  shall  never  be  able  to  repay 
or  reciprocate  your  kindness  to  us  in  our  dis 
tress  ;  but  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,  and  I 
shall  pray  daily  for  you,  that  you  may  be  saved 
from  peril  and  temptation  in  this  world,  and 
that  we  may  meet  in  the  happy  land  beyond 
the  grave." 

Mrs.  Halliburn  expressed  herself  in  the  same 
terms;  and  the  young  officer  hastened  away,  at 
tended  by  Win  Milton,  who  was  going  to  the 
home  of  Colonel  Halliburn,  to  assure  himself  of 
the  safety  of  Grace  Morgan. 

"What  shall  we  do  with  all  these  guns  and 
pistols,  Lieutenant?"  asked  Win,  as  he  pointed 
to  the  pile  of  them  in  the  hall. 

"Anything  you  like;  I  don't  want  them.  I 
advise  you  to  conceal  them  under  the  hay  in 
your  stable.  There  must  be  some  servants  about 
this  house,  though  I  have  not  seen  one,"  said 
Deck. 


74  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  There  are  about  thirty  of  them ;  but  they 
all  fled  at  the  approach  of  the  guerillas.  They 
will  all  come  back  now  that  the  danger  is  over." 

The  lieutenant  mounted  his  horse,  and  placed 
himself  at  the  head  of  the  column,  with  Win 
at  his  side,  still  acting  as  guide.  Deck  then 
gave  the  order  to  march.  Milton  conducted  the 
platoon  to  the  road  by  an  open  field  most  of 
the  way,  and  the  soil  afforded  a  better  footing 
for  the  horses. 

"  What  does  all  that  mean,  Lieutenant  ?  "  asked 
Win,  as  they  came  to  a  little  hill  which  gave 
them  a  view  of  the  road  for  a  considerable  dis 
tance.  "  There  is  a  company  of  cavalry  coming 
down  the  road  at  a  headlong  gallop!" 

"Probably  the  first  platoon  of  our  company," 
replied  Deck. 

At  the  same  moment  Sergeant  Fronklyn  and 
Sandy  Lyon  rode  furiously  across  the  field,  and 
halted  in  front  of  them,  having  just  returned  from 
their  mission  to  the  mansion  of  Colonel  Halliburn. 

"Confederate  cavalry!"  shouted  Fronklyn, 
when  he  was  a  considerable  distance  from  the 
column. 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      75 

"Battalion  —  halt!"  shouted  Deck  in  his  loud 
est  tones. 

"It  is  a  small  platoon,  and  perhaps  it  is  a 
part  of  the  enemy  Lieutenant  Belthorpe  engaged 
at  Breedings.  The  men  look  as  though  they 
were  running  away  from  a  force  behind  them." 

"  How  many  of  them  are  there,  Fronklyn  ? " 
asked  Deck  hurriedly. 

"Not  more  than  thirty,  if  as  many  as  that," 
answered  the  sergeant. 

"Life!"  called  the  lieutenant.  "Select  ten 
men,  and  guard  the  prisoners,"  he  added. 

The  sergeant  took  the  men  from  the  rear  of 
the  column,  and  Deck  ordered  the  rest  of  the 
platoon  to  march  at  a  gallop.  The  officer  rode 
at  a  pace  the  other  horses  could  not  equal,  and 
reached  the  road  far  in  advance  of  his  command. 
He  wanted  a  few  minutes  to  examine  the  situa 
tion;  but  the  enemy  were  within  fifty  rods  of 
him.  At  a  glance  he  counted  six  fours,  which 
made  twenty-four  men  besides  the  officer. 

By  the  time  the  lieutenant  had  made  his  mo 
mentary  survey  of  the  approaching  force,  his 
platoon  reached  the  road,  Win  Milton  with  them. 


76  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

The  company's  baggage-train  had  arrived,  and 
had  halted  about  twenty  rods  to  the  south  of 
the  place  where  Fronklyn  had  thrown  down  the 
fence  when  he  saw  the  command  were  coming. 
The  wagons  were  guarded  by  ten  men,  who  had 
been  taken  from  both  companies  at  Columbia; 
for  Major  Lyon  had  learned  there  that  several 
counties  were  overrun  with  guerillas  and  fora 
gers,  the  latter  sent  out  from  General  Zollicof- 
fer's  Confederate  force  at  Mill  Springs. 

The  baggage-guard  had  been  ordered  up  by 
Fronklyn,  and  they  were  approaching  as  Deck 
dashed  into  the  road.  If  a  dozen  war-elephants 
had  waddled  into  the  road  instead  of  Deck's 
command,  they  could  hardly  have  created  more 
surprise  than  this  force  of  United  States  cavalry. 
The  officer  in  command  of  the  force  promptly 
ordered  a  halt  when  he  was  within  twenty  rods 
of  his  enemy,  for  he  could  not  help  recognizing 
the  uniform  of  the  loyal  army. 

The  young  lieutenant  had  reined  in  his  horse 
and  come  to  a  halt  as  soon  as  he  reached  the  road, 
where  he  had  a  full  view  of  the  coming  detach 
ment.  Milton  joined  him  as  the  men  dashed  into 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      77 

the  road,  with  Life,  who  had  detailed  Corporal 
Tilford,  with  the  ten  men,  to  guard  the  prisoners. 
Deck,  profiting  by  the  solemn  injunctions  of  his 
father  when  his  promotion  went  into  effect, 
struggled  to  keep  cool  and  self-possessed.  His 
first  impulse  was  to  charge  the  approaching 
enemy;  and  he  would  have  done  so  if  the  Con 
federates  had  not  halted,  and  given  him  time 
to  look  over  his  surroundings. 

As  he  took  in  the  situation,  he  was  perfectly 
satisfied  that  he  could  easily  defeat  the  enemy, 
and  the  only  fear  he  had  was  that  the  detach 
ment  would  escape.  His  force  was  now  nearly 
double  that  of  the  Confederates  in  numbers,  and 
would  be  more  than  that  if  he  called  in  the  guard 
of  his  prisoners. 

"Do  you  know  that  force,  Win?"  he  asked  as 
the  guide  rode  up  to  him. 

"I  do.  They  wear  the  blue  and  the  gray, 
and  they  are  Tennessee  cavalry,"  replied  Mil 
ton.  "  Fronklyn  was  right." 

Deck  had  a  field-glass  slung  over  his  shoulder, 
and  he  directed  it  to  a  point  beyond  the  enemy; 
for  he  wished  to  ascertain  if  Tom  Belthorpe's 


78  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

platoon  was  in  pursuit;  but  the  road  was  too 
crooked  to  enable  him  to  see  any  distance,  for  it 
was  bordered  in  places  by  walnut  forests. 

"I  don't  quite  understand  this  thing,"  said 
Deck,  musing,  as  he  strained  his  vision  to  dis 
cover  another  force  at  the'  north.  "Captain 
Gordon  was  with  the  detachment  that  went  to 
Breedings ;  and  if  he  defeated  the  Confederates, 
as  he  must  'have  done,  I  don't  see  how  he  hap 
pened  to  permit  them  to  escape,  for  he  had 
better  horses  than  the  men  in  front  of  us  ride, 
and  the  captain  and  Lieutenant  Belthorpe  are 
wide-awake  officers." 

"  But  both  of  them  are  strangers  in  these 
counties,  while  the  Tennesseeans  are  probably 
well  acquainted  with  the  country.  Zollicoffer 
has  to  feed  his  army  on  the  supplies  gathered 
from  the  region  around  him,  and  his  foragers 
have  learned  the  geography  of  this  part  of  the 
State.  At  any  rate,  his  officers  can  obtain  plenty 
of  guides,"  replied  Milton  ;  "  and  this  one  had 
a  better  knowledge  of  the  roads  and  the  paths 
across  the  country." 

Fearful  that  the  Confederate  commander  would 


LIEUT.  LYON  ENCOUNTERS  ANOTHER  ENEMY      79 

avail  himself  of  his  knowledge,  and  thus  elude 
him,  Deck  sent  Life  with  ten  men  into  the  field 
on  the  left,  and  Fronklyn  with  the  same  number 
into  that  on  the  right.  The  enemy  did  not  seem 
to  like  this  movement,  though  it  weakened  the 
force  in  front  of  him  about  one-half.  The  offi- 
ficer  arranged  his  men  so  that  they  extended  en 
tirely  across  the  road,  and  then  in  a  voice  that 
might  have  been  heard  half  a  mile,  he  ordered  a 
charge. 


80  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   VI 

A    SMART   SKIRMISH   IN   THE    ROAD 

THE  Confederate  troopers  set  up  a  yell  loud 
and  fierce  enough  to  intimidate  all  the  old  ladies 
in  the  State  if  they  could  have  heard  it ;  but 
the  Riverlawn  Cavalry  had  heard  it  before,  and 
its  effect  was  to  kindle  the  wrath  of  the  mem 
bers  of  the  platoon. 

"  Unsling  your  carbines,  Life  !  Unsling  your, 
carbines,  Fronklyn  !  "  shouted  Deck,  as  the  flank 
ing  parties  dashed  into  the  two  fields. 

The  men  had  fought  hand  to  hand  with  the 
Texan  Rangers ;  and  they  were  roused  to  the 
highest  pitch  of  enthusiasm  when  they  found 
themselves  again  in  front  of  a  regular  force  of 
troopers,  instead  of  Home  Guards  or  guerillas. 
With  their  sabres  in  hand  they  rushed  upon  the 
foe  with  all  the  speed  to  which  they  could  spur 
their  horses.  The  men  were  fresh ;  for  they  had 
fought  no  engagement  that  day,  and  their  work 
had  been  easier  than  the  regular  marching. 


A   SMART   SKIRMISH   IN   THE   ROAD  81 

On  the  other  hand,  the  enemy  had  perhaps 
fought  with  the  first  platoon,  and  had  been  run 
ning  their  horses  till  the  animals  were  nearly 
exhausted.  But  they  received  the  charge  like 
brave  men,  and  stood  up  to  the  work.  Deck 
had  advanced  on  the  right  of  his  men  for  the 
reason  that  the  officer  in  command  of  the  enemy 
was  on  the  left  of  his  troopers  ;  for  he  desired  to 
meet  him.  He  had  drawn  his  sabre  ;  and  possi 
bly  the  remembrance  of  his  meeting  on  the  field 
with  the  lieutenant  of  the  Texan  Rangers  had 
something  to  do  with  his  choice  of  a  position. 

The  squads  in  charge  of  Life  and  Fronklyn  had 
each  put  in  a  volley  from  their  carbines  as  soon 
as  they  were  abreast  of  the  Confederates,  where 
they  could  fire  diagonally  at  the  enemy  so  as  not 
to  imperil  their  friends  ;  and  two  of  them  had 
dropped  out  of  their  saddles,  and  doubtless  others 
were  wounded.  Deck  shouted  words  of  encour 
agement  to  his  soldiers,  and  almost  instantly  the 
conflict  became  furious.  The  Confederates  fought 
like  demons,  and  two  of  the  loyal  force  were  seen 
to  drop  from  their  saddles  by  the  men  on  the 
flanks, 


82  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

But  the  firing  ceased  as  soon  as  both  parties 
were  mingled  in  the  fight ;  for  the  two  sergeants 
feared  that  their  bullets  might  hit  the  wrong  men. 
At  this  point  the  Confederate  commander  rushed 
upon  the  young  lieutenant,  who  was  ready  for 
him,  though  he  had  not  opened  the  duel.  Both 
of  them  were  skilled  swordsmen,  and  for  a  min 
ute  at  least  they  parried  each  other's  cuts  and 
thrusts.  Life  realized  that  his  protege,  as  he 
regarded  him,  was  in  imminent  peril ;  for  his 
antagonist  was  a  heavier  and  taller  man,  and  the 
longer  reach  of  his  right  arm  was  in  his  favor. 

Deck  was  hard  pressed,  and  neither  officer 
could  even  glance  at  his  men,  lest  he  should  be 
caught  off  his  guard.  But  Deck  was  still  self- 
possessed,  and  perhaps  the  excellent  advice  of 
his  father  saved  his  life.  Life  Knox  was  not 
afraid  of  anything,  but  he  trembled  for  the  safety 
of  his  lieutenant.  He  sought  a  position  where  he 
could  put  a  bullet  through  the  brain  of  the  brave 
Confederate,  though  he  felt  that  it  would  be  mean 
to  do  so.  Fortunately  for  him  the  sergeant  could 
find  no  such  position. 

Ceph,  the  name  of  Deck's  noble  steed,  which 


A   SMART   SKIRMISH  IN  THE   ROAD  83 

had  been  abbreviated  from  Bucephalus,  seemed 
to  Life,  whose  attention  was  fixed  upon  his  offi 
cer,  restive  and  uneasy :  but  his  rider  did  not 
bring  him  into  a  leaping  posture,  as  he  had  done 
on  a  former  occasion,  and  had  been  charged  by 
his  superiors  with  reckless  daring ;  but  the  charger 
suddenly  stood  up  on  his  hinti  feet,  as  though  he 
intended  to  attempt  the  leap  over  the  Confed 
erate  officer's  horse  on  his  own  responsibility. 

But  the  other  steed  was  too  tall  for  him,  and 
his  rider  reined  him  in.  At  the  moment  when 
he  was  elevated  above  the  head  of  his  opponent, 
Deck  seized  his  opportunity  to  deliver  a  blow 
upon  the  head  of  his  foe  with  his  sabre.  It  struck 
him  on  the  side  of  the  head,  above  the  ear,  cleav 
ing  his  skull,  and  he  dropped  from  his  horse 
like  a  lump  of  lead.  Life  was  happily  relieved 
at  the  result  of  this  furious  conflict. 

He  had  not  been  idle  during  the  affair ;  for  he 
had  sent  two  of  his  men  to  remove  the  fence  at 
the  side  of  the  road,  and  Fronklyn  had  done  the 
same  on  the  other  side.  The  moment  the  ene 
my's  brave  leader  had  fallen  from  his  horse,  the 
sergeant  ordered  his  men  into  the  road,  leading 


84  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  way  himself,  and  the  other  sergeant  on  the 
left  had  followed  his  example. 

"Squad — attention!  "  shouted  the  orderly 
sergeant,  after  he  had  formed  the  troopers  in 
two  ranks.  "Forward — march!" 

He  led  the  charge  himself ;  and  they  delivered 
a  volley  of  blows  and  thrusts,  as  occasion  served 
them,  which  ended  the  strife  in  less  than  another 
moment.  Several  of  the  Confederates  cried 
"  Quarter !  "  and  not  another  blow  was  struck 
after  the  word  was  heard. 

"  Who  is  in  command  of  this  company  now  ?  " 
asked  Deck,  as  he  and  his  men  moved  out  of  the 
tangle  to  the  sides  of  the  road. 

"  Leftenant  Logan,"  replied  a  wounded  trooper 
who  had  a  sabre-cut  on  the  side  of  his  face  which 
was  bleeding  profusely. 

"The  fall  of  Captain  Letcher  leaves  me  in 
command,"  said  this  officer,  approaching  the 
young  lieutenant. 

"Do  you  surrender,  Lieutenant  Logan?"  asked 
Deck,  as  he  surveyed  the  fine  form  and  handsome 
face  of  the  officer,  who  appeared  to  be  not  more 
than  a  year  or  two  older  than  the  victor. 


A  SMART   SKIRMISH   IN   THE   ROAD  85 

"  I  have  no  alternative ;  we  are  outnumbered, 
and  surrounded  by  your  force,"  replied  the  Con 
federate  lieutenant  solemnly  and  sadly. 

"I  sympathize  with  you,  Lieutenant,  though  I 
was  compelled  to  do  my  duty,"  replied  Deck; 
and  even  while  he  gloried  in  the  success  of  his 
command,  he  was  sincerely  sorry  for  the  misfor 
tune  of  the  officer,  whom  he  had  seen  in  the  road 
fighting  bravely  for  the  cause  in  this  particular 
field,  which  was  lost  from  the  beginning.  "  But 
it  is  no  disgrace  or  dishonor  to  you  or  your  brave 
soldiers  to  be  beaten  by  double  your  number." 

"  I  thank  you,  Lieutenant ;  and  I  only  regret 
that  we  are  obliged  to  be  enemies,"  returned  the 
officer  very  courteously.  "Am  I  at  liberty  to  at 
tend  to  my  wounded  now?" 

"  Certainly,  sir ;  and  I  hope  your  loss  is  not 
so  great  as  it  appears  to  be  at  this  moment,"  an 
swered  Deck. 

After  an  action  as  hotly  contested  as  this  skir 
mish  had  been,  it  was  surprising  how  few  had 
been  killed  outright.  Only  two  of  the  River- 
lawns  had  fallen  never  to  rise  again ;  but  six  of 
the  twenty-two  Confederates  who  had  gone  into 


86  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  action  were  past  human  aid.  Four  of  the 
blue,  and  nine  of  gray,  had  been  disabled  by 
wounds  more  or  less  severe,  while  hardly  a  single 
man  on  either  side  had  escaped  without  being 
slightly  wounded. 

"  Have  you  a  surgeon  in  your  detachment, 
Lieutenant  Logan  ?  " 

"  I  have  not.  He  was  left  with  the  other  pla 
toon  near  Breedings ;  but  I  hope  you  have  one." 

"  I  have  not.  Ours  is  with  the  main  body,"  re 
plied  Deck  ;  and  the  Confederate  officer  returned 
to  his  men. 

"  Who  are  the  killed  in  our  platoon,  Life  ?  "  said 
Deck,  when  the  sergeant  came  to  the  lieutenant 
for  further  orders. 

"  I  don't  like  to  say  so,  Lef tenant ;  but  your 
cousin,  Orly  Lyon,  is  one  of  them." 

"  Poor  fellow !  "  exclaimed  Deck.  "  I  am  sorry 
he  has  finished  his  campaign  so  soon ;  but  I  am 
glad  he  did  not  die  among  the  enemies  of  the 
Union." 

"But  he  fought  like  a  hero  in  the  action,  for 
I  was  near  him  when  he  fell  under  the  sabre  of 
the  lieutenant  yonder,"  added  Sergeant  Sluder. 


A  SMART   SKIRMISH  IN   THE   ROAD  87 

"  Who  was  the  other  man  killed,  Life  ?  "  asked 
Deck. 

"Barron,  another  of  the  new  recruits." 

"I  am  sorry  to  lose  him,  for  he  was  a  very 
promising  soldier,  though  he  had  not  been  suf 
ficiently  drilled.  Bury  the  dead  in  the  field 
on  the  right,"  said  Deck  as  he  started  for  the 
baggage-wagons,  where  the  wounded  had  been 
carried. 

Life  had  detailed  a  burial  party,  and  Logan 
had  done  the  same  for  the  men  he  had  lost. 
Shovels  and  picks  had  been  supplied  to  both  from 
one  of  the  wagons.  Having  attended  to  this 
duty,  the  orderly  sergeant  was  sent  to  the  field 
to  ascertain  the  condition  of  the  prisoners  in 
charge  of  Corporal  Tilford.  They  still  sat  upon 
their  horses,  with  the  right  hand  made  fast  at 
the  crupper-strap,  and  doubtless  were  anxiously 
awaiting  the  result  of  the  skirmish  in  the  road. 

"  How  goes  it,  Sergeant  Knox  ?  "  asked  Cap 
tain  Coonly  when  Life  came  within  speaking  dis 
tance  of  him. 

"All  right,"  replied  the  big  Kentuckian. 

"  Haven't  the  regulars  of  the  Confederate  army 
licked  you?  " 


88  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  Not  much ;  but  they  have  been  licked  out  of 
their  boots,  with  the  third  part  of  them  killed 
or  badly  wounded.  You  have  no  show  for  gittin' 
out  of  this  scrape  yet." 

Tilford  reported  that  the  prisoners  had  not 
made  any  trouble ;  for  they  all  declared  that 
the  Riverlawns  would  be  beaten,  and  they  were 
waiting  to  be  set  at  liberty.  The  sentinels  over 
them  guarded  them  very  closely,  and  afforded 
them  no  opportunity  to  make  a  demonstration, 
even  if  they  had  been  disposed  to  do  so ;  for  the 
soldiers  with  loaded  carbines  in  their  hands, 
and  with  orders  to  shoot  any  one  who  did  not 
obey  orders,  or  who  attempted  to  escape,  was 
a  fact  patent  to  them  all.  Life  was  satisiied 
with  his  inspection,  and  hastened  back  to  the 
wagons. 

When  he  reached  the  road,  he  met  two  well- 
dressed  gentlemen  coming  out  of  the  field  on  the 
left,  from  the  direction  of  Colonel  Halliburn's 
house.  Both  of  them  were  mounted,  and  were 
provided  with  saddle-bags.  He  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  he  promptly  recognized  them  as 
doctors. 


A   SMART   SKIRMISH   IN   THE   ROAD  89 

"Mornin',  gentlemen,"  said  he,  riding  towards 
them.  "  I  reckon  you  mis  be  doctors  ?  " 

"  You  are  not  far  from  right,  soldier,"  replied 
the  elder  of  the  two. 

"Be  you  Secesh  or  Union?"  demanded  Life, 
as  though  he  had  the  right  to  put  the  question. 

"Divide  the  cfliestion,  and  each  can  answer 
for  himself,"  replied  the  one  who  had  spoken  be 
fore.  "I  am  opposed  to  making  Kentucky  the 
battleground  of  this  war;  and  if  I  fought  on 
either  side,  it  would  be  with  the  Confederates." 

"Be  you  of  the  same  mind?"  asked  Life, 
turning  to  the  other. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  differ  from  my  friend,  Dr. 
McNairy;  but  I  am  a  Union  man,"  answered 
the  younger  doctor,  though  he  appeared  to  be  at 
least  forty  years  old.  "  But  what  has  happened 
here  ?  "  he  continued,  surveying  the  surroundings, 
especially  the  work  of  the  burial  parties. 

"There's  been  a  bit  of  a  scrimmage  between 
your  friends  here  and  them  as  runs  with  t'other 
doctor;  but  you  are  both  wanted  right  now,"  re 
plied  Life. 

At   this   moment   Mr.    Milton    arrived    at   the 


90  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

spot,  and  had  apparently  recognized  the  two 
gentlemen  as  they  rode  across  the  field.  He 
saluted  them  both,  calling  them  by  name. 

"I've  told  these  doctors  what  we  want  of 
them,"  added  the  sergeant. 

"But  what  about  this  battle,  Mr.  Milton?" 
inquired  Dr.  McNairy,  the  elder  one,  who  ap 
peared  to  be  about  sixty  years  old. 

"Milton  gave  a  very  brief  account  of  the  ac 
tion,  and  mentioned  that  Mr.  Halliburn's  man 
sion  had  been  ransacked  by  the  prisoners  whom 
he  pointed  out  in  the  field. 

"Why  didn't  you  hang  them?"  demanded 
Dr.  Barlow,  the  young  doctor. 

"The  military  officer  in  command  of  the  de 
tachment  here  managed  the  business,  and  I  had 
nothing  to  do  with  the  matter;  though  I  would 
have  strung  up  Coonly  if  I  had  had  my  way,  for 
hanging  would  do  him  good.  But  the  lieutenant 
said  that  one  outrage  did  not  mend  another,"  re 
plied  Milton  impatiently;  for  he  was  anxious  to 
have  the  wounded  cared  for. 

"  The  lieutenant  is  a  sensible  man,"  added 
Dr.  McNairy. 


A   SMART    SKIRMISH   IN   THE   ROAD  91 

"  Now,  Dr.  Barlow,  your  coming  is  most  op 
portune  ;  and  I  hope  you  will  attend  to  the 
wounded  of  the  Union  force,  and  that  Dr.  Mc- 
Nairy  will  do  the  same  for  the  Confederates," 
added  Milton. 

"  It  is  a  mere  accident  that  .we  happen  to  be 
here,  for  we  have  been  over  to  perform  an  oper 
ation  on  the  wife  of  General  Macklin ;  but  I 
am  glad  to  be  able  to  serve  the  Union  wounded, 
and  I  am  quite  willing  to  do  the  same  for 
the  Confederates." 

"I  will  take  care  of  t"he  Confederates,"  added 
Dr.  McNairy. 

"  Now,  Sergeant  Knox,  if  you  will  conduct 
Dr.  McNairy  to  the  Confederates,  I  will  take 
Dr.  Barlow  to  the  Union  wounded." 

"  I'll  do  that ;  but  tell  the  leftenant  there  is  a 
cavalry  force  comin'  down  the  road,  and  I  reckon 
it's  the  first  platoon  of  our  company." 

Both  of  them  departed  on  their  missions,  ac 
companied  by  the  doctors. 


92  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT 

DR.  McNAiRY  was  introduced  to  Lieutenant 
Logan,  and  the  surgeon  began  his  work  at  once. 
Both  of  the  professional  gentlemen  had  their  in 
struments  with  them,  for  they  had  performed  an 
operation  that  forenoon.  Life  remained  but  a 
moment  after  he  had  done  his  errand,  and  has. 
tened  to  a  point  where  he  could  obtain  a  better 
view  of  the  approaching  cavalry  force.  His  sup 
position  that  it  was  the  first  platoon  of  the  first 
company  proved  to  be  correct,  and  he  awaited 
its  arrival. 

The  column  was  moving  leisurely,  for  there 
was  no  occasion  for  haste ;  and  it  appeared  later 
that  the  men  had  not  been  idle  during  the  fore 
noon.  Captain  Gordon  and  Lieutenant  Belthorpe 
were  riding  at  the  head  of  the  platoon,  and  as 
they  came  to  a  turn  in  the  road  the  scene  of 
the  late  action  came  into  view ;  and  both  of 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   93 

the  officers  were  greatly  surprised,  for  neither 
of  them  had  supposed  that  Deck  would  have 
anything  to  do  but  guard  and  hurry  on  the 
baggage-wagons. 

"  What  does  all  that  mean  ? "  asked  the  cap 
tain,  as  he  opened  his  eyes  very  wide  to  take 
in  the  gathering  in  the  road  and  the  fields  be 
side  it  of  men  and  horses. 

"It  looks  as  though  Lieutenant  Lyon  had 
been  doing  something  there;  but  I  will  warrant 
that  Deck  has  done  his  duty  like  a  man,  what 
ever  he  has  been  at,"  replied  Tom  Belthorpe, 
who  had  an  abundant  admiration  for  the  young 
officer. 

"I  hope  he  has  not  been  reckless,  as  I  am 
afraid  he  is  inclined  to  be  when  things  get 
warm  around  him,"  returned  the  captain. 

"There  comes  Sergeant  Knox;  and  things 
must  be  quiet  in  the  camp,  or  he  would  not 
have  left  Deck  for  a  moment,"  added  the  lieu 
tenant. 

Life  had  ridden  forward  to  inform  the  cap 
tain  what  had  transpired  in  the  road  and  at 
the  mansion  of  Mr.  Halliburn;  for  he  believed 


94  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  officers  would  be  anxious  to  solve  what  was 
now  a  mystery  to  them. 

"  What's  going  on  here,  Sergeant  ?  "  demanded 
the  captain  as  soon  as  Life  came  within  speak 
ing-distance  of  him. 

"We  uns  have  had  a  bit  of  a  scrimmage  here 
with  Confed'rit  cavalry,"  replied  the  sergeant  as 
he  reined  in  his  steed,  and  saluted  the  captain. 

"  A  skirmish  ?  "  said  the  captain. 

"  Well,  yes ;  and  it  was  a  rayther  lively  bout 
till  the  enemy  surrendered." 

"Did  they  surrender?"  asked  the  commander 
of  the  company;  for  it  was  not  the  habit  of 
the  Southern  troopers  to  yield,  and  he  had 
been  fighting  with  a  portion  of  the  same  com 
pany  that  forenoon. 

"They  couldn't  help  theirselves;  we  outnum 
bered  'em,  and  they  had  to  give  in  or  be  cut 
to  pieces." 

"  How  is  Lieutenant  Lyon  ?  "  inquired  the  cap 
tain  with  no  little  anxiety  in  his  tones  and  his 
expression. 

"  I  reckon  he  's  got  a  sword-cut  on  the  arm ; 
but  he's  right  side  up,  and  don't  say  uothin' 
about  it." 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   95 

"  What  were  the  losses  ?  " 

"We  had  two  killed  and  four  wounded." 

"Who  were  the  killed?" 

"  Orly  Lyon  and  Barron." 

"Both  new  recruits,  and  one  of  them  is  the 
nephew  of  Major  Lyon." 

"  The  enemy  lost  six  killed,  and  nine  wounded ; 
and  the  captain  in  command  was  in  the  fust 
lot,  brought  down  by  Leftenant  Lyon  in  a  hand- 
to-hand  squabble  at  the  side  of  the  road.  Deck 
fit  like  a  mad  rooster.  His  hoss  stood  up 
straight,  and  gin  his  rider  a  chance  to  git  in 
the  cut  that  finished  the  officer." 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon  was  reckless,  wasn't  he, 
Sergeant  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"Not  a  bit  on't!  He  was  as  cool  as  a  frozen 
cowcumber ;  but  he  hit  hard  when  his  hoss 
stood  up  endways,"  replied  Life.  "We  cleaned 
out  a  gang  of  gorillas  afore  we  had  this  scrim 
mage  in  the  road." 

"Another  affair?  Did  you  have  a  hard  fight 
with  them?" 

"  No  fight  at  all,"  answered  the  tall  Ken- 
tuckian,  with  a  slight  chuckle.  "Deck  bagged 


96  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

'em  like  a  flock  of  wild  turkeys  in  a  trap- 
pen." 

"We  will  hear  about  that  another  time," 
said  Captain  Gordon  as  the  head  of  the  column 
arrived  at  the  scene  of  the  fight.  "  Who  are 
those  over  on  our  right  ?  " 

"  The  fust  ones  is  the  Confed'rits  burin'  their 
dead.  The  next  lot  is  the  doctor  fixin'  up  the 
enemy's  wounded.  The  surgeon  is  a  Secesh, 
and  we  picked  up  two  on  'em  as  they  come 
across  lots  from  an  operation  on  some  woman. 
T'other  is  over  with  our  men,  and  he's  a  Union 
man." 

"  Where  is  Lieutenant  Lyon  ?  " 

"I  left  him  over  by  the  baggage-wagons, 
lookin'  out  for  the  wounded.  We  shall  git 
there  in  a  minute  or  two." 

"What  are  those  men  on  our  left,  in  the 
field  ? "  asked  the  captain  as  they  came  to  a 
point  where  the  prisoners  could  be  seen,  still 
in  charge  of  Corporal  Tilford. 

"  Them's  the  prisoners  tooken  over  at  the  man 
sion  of  Mr.  Halliburn,  half  a  mile  from  here,"  re 
plied  Life,  as  they  approached  the  location  of  the 
wounded  Union  soldiers. 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   97 

Dr.  Barlow  had  informed  Deck  of  the  coming 
of  the  first  platoon,  and  he  had  mounted  his 
horse  to  go  out  and  meet  them.  He  was  ready 
to  come  into  the  presence  of  the  captain  of  the 
company ;  for  he  felt  that  he  had  done  his  duty 
faithfully,  and  also  that  he  had  conducted  him 
self  with  prudence  and  discretion. 

"  What  in  the  world  have  you  been  doing 
over  here,  Lieutenant  Lyon  ?  "  asked  Captain  Gor 
don,  as  he  rode  forward,  and  grasped  the  hand 
of  the  young  officer.  "  You  seem  to  have  been 
busy  here  from  what  Sergeant  Knox  has  told 
me." 

"  We  haven't  had  any  time  to  spare,  Captain ; 
for  in  half  an  hour  after  we  parted  events  began 
to  thicken  upon  us,  and  we  have  been  kept 
busy  ever  since,"  replied  Deck. 

"  I  will  hear  your  report  later,  for  my  men  are 
tired,  and  need  their  dinner.  It  seems  to  be  all 
quiet  about  here  now,  and  we  must  take  a  rest 
here." 

"  I  have  ordered  our  cooks  to  make  coffee, 
and  it  will  be  ready  to  serve  out  very  soon,"  re 
plied  Deck,  as  he  pointed  to  the  fires  in  the  field 


98  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

behind  the  temporary  hospital ;  and  near  them 
the  horses  of  the  troopers  and  the  mules  that 
drew  the  wagons  were  eating  their  oats  off  the 
grass.  "We  shall  feed  our  men  on  herring  and 
hardtack  with  the  coffee." 

Lieutenant  Belthorpe  ordered  his  men  to 
picket  their  horses  and  feed  them ;  and  in 
another  hour  the  soldiers  and  their  beasts  had 
all  been  fed.  Seated  on  the  grass  with  his 
two  lieutenants,  the  captain  listened  to  the  re 
port  of  Deck  on  the  events  of  the  forenoon. 
When  he  came  to  his  encounter  with  Captain 
Letcher,  both  of  his  auditors  were  intensely 
interested,  though  he  told  his  story  very 
modestly. 

"I  suppose  you  caused  Ceph  to  stand  up  on 
end  when  you  found  yourself  in  a  tight  place  ?  " 
suggested  Tom  Belthorpe. 

"I  did  not,"  answered  Deck  very  emphati 
cally.  "  Ceph  knows  more  than  some  men ; 
but  he  became  restive  and  uneasy  after  the 
captain  and  I  had  pegged  away  at  each  other 
for  some  time,  and  he  stood  up  of  his  own 
accord.  I  had  to  hold  on  with  all  my  might 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   99 

with  my  left  hand;  but  my  horse  ,did  not  tiy 
to  leap  over  the  other  animal,  for  he  was  even 
taller  than  Ceph.  When  I  saw  the  captain's 
head  below  mine,  I  used  the  opportunity,  and 
made  the  cut  that  finished  the  affair.  I  was  not 
reckless,  as  I  was  once  accused  of  being,  but 
wrongly,  Captain  Gordon.  I  have  made  it  a 
business  of  mine  to-day  to  keep  cool,  and  not 
let  my  impulses  run  away  with  me ;  and  I 
think  I  succeeded  very  well." 

"Life  thinks  so  too,"  added  the  captain. 

"I  have  not  said  a  word  to  him  about  it.  I 
have  kept  my  affairs  closely  in  my  own  head." 

"  You  managed  the  guerillas  admirably,  and 
bagged  them  very  skilfully,"  said  his  superior 
approvingly. 

"I  think  it  was  largely  a  matter  of  luck  and 
chance  that  I  gathered  them  in  without  losing 
a  man,  or  even  having  a  fight,"  added  Deck. 
"  The  ruffians  were  all  busy  ransacking  the 
mansion  in  search  of  the  money;  and  if  they 
had  found  it,  I  learned  from  Mr.  Milton  that  it 
would  have  given  them  over  two  hundred  dol 
lars  apiece.  I  got  in  without  disturbing  them, 


100  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

and  they  did  not  suspect  the  presence  of  my 
platoon  till  the  bugler  sounded  the  call  for  my 
men.  Then  they  were  surrounded,  and  the  car 
bines  were  pointed  at  every  window,  with  half 
a  dozen  aimed  up  the  staircase.  It  was  easy 
enough  then  to  bring  the  affair  to  a  conclusion." 

"  What  are  you  going  to  do  with  your  prison 
ers,  Lieutenant?"  asked  Captain  Gordon. 

"I  turn  them  over  to  my  superior  officer,  of 
course ;  for  I  have  ceased  to  be  in  command 
now.  Mr.  Milton  informed  me  that  there  is  a 
Union  Home  Guard  at  Millersville  that  might 
take  charge  of  the  guerillas,"  replied  Deck,  glad 
to  be  rid  of  this  responsibility. 

"Who  is  this  Mr.  Milton?"  asked  the  com 
mander;  and  Deck  told  him  all  he  knew  about 
him,  and  especially  that  he  had  been  very  use 
ful  to  him  as  a  guide. 

"  Where  is  he  now  ? "  inquired  the  captain, 
as  they  continued  to  eat  the  dinner  of  hard 
tack  and  herring,  washed  down  with  hot  coffee. 

"There  he  is  near  the  hospital;  he  has  just 
sat  down  to  lunch  with  the  sergeants,"  replied 
Deck,  pointing  to  the  group. 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   101 

"Ask  him  to  join  us,  Lieutenant,"  said  the 
captain. 

Deck  obeyed;  and  Milton  immediately  re 
sponded  to  the  summons.  The  lieutenant  apol 
ogized  to  him  for  his  want  of  attention,  for 
he  had  been  very  busy  every  moment  of  the 
time.  He  was  introduced  to  the  commander  and 
Lieutenant  Belthorpe ;  and  the  former  thanked 
him  warmly  for  the  service  he  had  rendered, 
and  invited  him  to  join  them  in  the  simple  re 
past  before  them.  He  freely  answered  all  the 
questions  put  to  him.  He  declared  that  Millers- 
ville  contained  a  majority  of  loyal  people,  many 
of  whom  had  enlisted  in  the  Kentucky  regiments, 
while  others  had  formed  a  Union  Home  Guard, 
and  were  ready  to  fight  to  keep  the  State  in 
the  Union. 

"I  judge  that  your  time  has  not  been  wasted 
this  forenoon,"  said  Deck. 

"It  has  not,  indeed,"  replied  the  commander 
of  the  company;  and  he  proceeded  to  detail  his 
experience  with  the  enemy  at  Breedings. 

He  found  on  his  arrival  at  that  place  that  the 
marauders  were  a  foraging-party  of  regular  Con- 


102  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

federate  cavalry,  and  not  guerillas.  It  consisted 
of  at  least  a  platoon,  or  half  a  company.  They 
were  coming  across  the  field  from  the  Millers- 
ville  Road.  As  soon  as  they  discovered  the  Riv- 
erlawn  force,  the  enemy  retreated,  as  the  captain 
understood  it;  but  they  were  only  hastening  to 
a  small  fortification  of  earthworks  thrown  up  by 
the  Confederate  Home  Guards  of  the  place,  who 
were  in  the  majority  in  that  locality,  although 
there  were  several  rich  planters  in  the  district 
who  were  Union  men. 

The  fort  had  been  armed  with  two  rusty  iron 
cannons,  which  had  been  used  for  salutes  in  the 
time  when  the  Fourth  of  July  had  been  gener 
ally  celebrated.  But  it  was  not  large  enough 
to  hold  all  the  cavalrymen,  and  the  second  pla 
toon  of  twenty-five  men  had  been  sent  to  a  hill 
on  the  other  side  of  the  road.  The  commander 
sent  Lieutenant  Belthorpe  to  attack  them  there, 
while  he  gave  his  attention  to  the  enemy  in  the 
fort. 

The  two  guns,  loaded  with  home-made  grape- 
shot,  were  discharged;  but  the  gunners  were  ut 
terly  ignorant  of  the  art  of  handling  the  pieces, 


THE  BATTLE  AT  THE  BREEDINGS  FORT   103 

and  the  scattering  bullets  all  went  over  the 
heads  of  the  loyal  cavalrymen.  The  captain 
did  not  give  them  time  to  repeat  the  experi 
ment,  for  he  ordered  his  lieutenant  to  charge 
over  the  earthwork  before  they  had  time  to  load 
again.  The  fort  had  been  constructed  in  a  very 
rude  manner,  without  the  help  of  an  engineer; 
and  it  was  only  a  sort  of  windrow  of  earth,  as 
hay  is  raked  up  in  a  field,  and  the  mounted 
men  had  no  difficulty  in  riding  over  it. 

The  Confederates  had  dismounted,  turning 
their  horses  into  a  field.  This  was  a  fatal  mis 
take  on  the  part  of  their  officer.  His  men 
were  huddled  together  with  the  Home  Guards 
in  the  small  space ;  and  though  they  fought 
bravely,  they  were  soon  ridden  down,  and  to 
tally  defeated.  Many  of  them  had  been  killed 
or  disabled,  and  the  Home  Guards  had  run 
away  as  soon  as  the  horses  began  to  ride  them 
down.  The  officer  called  for  quarter,  and  sur 
rendered.  He  and  his  men  were  paroled  at  once. 

At  the  hill  Lieutenant  Belthorpe  had  vigor 
ously  attacked  the  second  platoon,  and  soon 
drove  them  from  their  ground.  When  the  vie- 


104  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

tory  was  won  at  the  fort,  Captain  Gordon  re-en 
forced  Belthorpe  with  twenty  men  while  the 
paroling  was  in  process ;  and  the  enemy  seeing 
that  they  were  outnumbered  more  than  before, 
when  they  were  driven  from  the  hill,  gave  up 
the  fight,  and  fled  at  the  best  speed  of  their 
horses  by  the  way  they  had  come.  The  lieuten 
ant  in  command  pursued  them  as  far  as  the 
road,  when  the  recall  was  sounded  near  the  fort, 
and  they  returned  to  the  little  village.  Captain 
Letcher  was  in  command  of  the  platoon,  and  he 
had  continued  to  retreat,  believing  that  his  pur 
suers  were  still  following  him. 


BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRINGS   105 


CHAPTER  VIII 


CAPTAIN  GORDON  had  related  the  history  of 
the  affair  at  Breedings,  and  Deck  had  learned 
from  Lieutenant  Logan  considerably  more  that 
was  not  within  the  knowledge  of  the  comman 
der.  As  they  finished  their  simple  dinner,  they 
discovered  a  gentleman,  attended  by  a  couple 
of  men  who  looked  like  mechanics,  the  latter 
with  muskets  on  their  shoulders,  and  all  of 
them  mounted  on  fine  horses,  approaching  the 
camp.  The  two  surgeons  had  finished  dressing 
the  wounds  of  the  injured,  and  had  mounted 
their  horses  to  depart.  The  soldiers,  the  prison 
ers,  and  the  horses  had  all  been  fed,  and  it 
seemed  to  be  time  for  the  next  movement. 

"That  is  Colonel  Halliburn  coming,"  said 
Milton. 

"Is  his  title  simply  an  honorary  one,  or  is  he 
a  military  man?"  inquired  the  captain. 


106      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  He  has  been  the  leading  man  in  the  militia 
for  thirty  years,  though  he  has  never  been  in  ac 
tive  service,"  replied  Milton.  "  He  is  past  the 
military  age  now." 

The  gentleman  was  introduced  to  the  party, 
and  he  gave  Deck  the  most  cordial  thanks  for 
the  service  rendered  to  his  brother. 

"How  is  Miss  Grace,  Colonel?"  asked  Win. 

"  She  is  well  and  happy  now,  though  she  is 
much  concerned  about  her  guardian,  and  would 
have  returned  to  him  if  I  had  permitted  her  to 
do  so;  but  I  am  going  over  to  my  brother's 
now,  and  I  shall  persuade  him  and  his  wife  to 
come  to  my  house,  for  it  is  not  safe  for  them 
to  be  alone  there.  I  have  brought  a  couple  of 
my  men  with  me ;  and  if  we  can  do  anything 
to  assist  you  here,  we  are  at  your  service." 

"Thank  you,  sir;  we  have  defeated  the  en 
emy  on  all  sides,  and  we  are  ready  to  move  on 
now  to  join  the  other  company  of  our  squad 
ron,"  replied  the  captain.  "  The  next  question 
that  we  have  to  settle  is  the  disposition  of  our 
wounded,  some  of  whom  are  not  in  condition 
to  be  moved." 


BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRINGS   107 

"  My  house  is  at  your  service  for  this  pur 
pose.  I  have  twenty-five  men  who  belong  to 
the  Home  Guard  of  Millersville  residing  in  my 
village;  and  I  have  called  them  out  since  Miss 
Morgan  came  to  my  house,  and  they  will  be 
able  to  defend  us  from  any  ordinary  enemies, 
so  that  your  men  will  be  safe  there,"  said  the 
colonel. 

"  I  thank  you  with  all  my  heart,"  answered 
Captain  Gordon.  "  I  shall  avail  myself  of 
your  kind  offer." 

"  I  am  the  captain  of  the  Home  Guards,  and 
Dr.  Barlow  is  the  surgeon ;  and  we  will  attend  to 
the  removal  of  the  men.  I  will  look  after  the 
matter  as  soon  as  I  return  from  my  brother's. 
Mr.  Milton  and  the  doctor  will  remain  here 
till  I  come." 

"I  am  under  very  great  obligations  to  you, 
Colonel  Halliburn,"  added  the  captain,  "and  I 
hope  I  shall  be  able  to  render  you  any  service 
in  a  time  of  need  which  you  may  require." 

The  commander  of  the  company  paroled  the 
Confederate  prisoners,  and  permitted  them  to 
retire  with  their  horses.  They  carried  their 


108  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

wounded  with  them  on  stretchers  or  on  horse 
back,  and  marched  up  the  road  to  join  the  rest 
of  their  company.  The  bugle  sounded,  and 
the  first  company  of  the  River-lawns  formed  in 
the  road.  It  was  only  about  six  miles  to  Mil- 
lersville,  and  the  captain  decided  to  march  the 
guerilla  prisoners  to  that  town.  They  were 
placed  between  the  two  platoons,  with  a  guard 
on  the  flank ;  but  the  fun  had  all  gone  out  of 
them,  and  they  were  as  submissive  as  whipped 
puppies.  The  column  marched,  and  in  about 
two  hours  arrived  at  their  next  destination. 

They  found  a  company  of  about  fifty  Home 
Guards,  armed  with  muskets,  but  without  uni 
forms,  drawn  up  to  receive  them;  for  the  news 
of  the  skirmish  had  reached  the  place,  and  a 
considerable  body  of  citizens  were  in  attendance 
as  spectators. 

"I  am  Lieutenant  Ripley,  commanding  in  the 
absence  of  Captain  Halliburn  the  Home  Guards, 
all  loyal  men,  and  we  give  you  a  Kentucky 
welcome,"  said  the  officer  of  the  Guards,  salut- 
ing  the  captain.  "What  can  we  do  for  you?" 

"  You  can  take  these  guerilla  prisoners  off  our 


BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OF  MILL  SPRINGS   109 

hands,  for  they  are  a  nuisance  to  us,"  replied 
Captain  Gordon  with  a  smile. 

"  Do  you  wish  us  to  hang  them  to  those  trees 
yonder  ?  "  asked  the  lieutenant. 

"I  do  not  ask  you  to  do  anything  of  the  kind, 
though  it  might  do  them  good  to  hang  them; 
but  we  don't  treat  prisoners  in  that  way,  even  if 
they  are  guerillas,"  replied  the  commander  with 
considerable  energy.  "  You  can  confine  them  in 
some  building,  or  let  them  go;  but  you  must  not 
kill,  starve,  or  ill-treat  them,  for  Union  soldiers 
don't  do  such  things." 

It  was  nearly  sundown,  and  the  captain  de 
cided  to  bivouac  for  the  night.  The  camp  was 
laid  out  in  a  field,  and  the  tents  were  pitched. 
A  supper  was  cooked  for  the  men,  though  the 
commissioned  officers  were  invited  to  a  private 
house ;  but  they  declined  the  invitations  to  sleep 
away  from  the  company,  though  they  ate  the 
supper  provided  for  them  in  the  house  of  a 
Union  magnate,  and  repeated  again  the  story  of 
the  day's  events.  The  commander  inquired  par 
ticularly  for  the  news  from  the  seat  of  war  in 
this  quarter. 


110  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  I  understand  that  General  Crittenden  has 
joined  the  army  of  General  Zollicoffer,  and,  as 
he  ranks  him,  has  the  command  of  the  army," 
replied  the  host,  who  seemed  to  be  a  very  well- 
informed  gentleman.  "I  believe  most  of  the 
Confederate  troops  on  the  other  side  of  the 
Cumberland  River  are  Tennesseeans,  and  that  is 
about  all  I  know  in  regard  to  them." 

"  Do  you  know  where  they  are  located,  Mr. 
Kennedy?"  asked  the  captain. 

"  We  all  know  that  they  are  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Cumberland,  about  six  miles  below 
the  point  to  which  steamboats  can  ascend.  Zol 
licoffer  has  fortified  the  hills,  three  or  four  hun 
dred  feet  high,  and  holds  a  very  strong  position; 
in  fact,  one  of  the  strongest  in  the  State  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy.  It  covers  the  coal-mines 
and  a  great  many  salt-wells  beyond  the  river, 
and  these  are  of  the  utmost  importance  to  the 
Confederacy.  But  it  is  well  understood  in  these 
parts  that  the  army  of  Zollicoffer  is  short  of 
supplies,  and  some  say  his  men  are  starving  in 
the  camps.  I  know  that  the  Tennessee  cavalry 
are  foraging  on  this  side  of  the  river  to  a  con- 


BEFORE  THE  BATTLE  OP  MILL  SPRINGS   111 

siderable  extent;  and  you  have  met  one  of  these 
parties  to-day,  and  defeated  them.  Compared 
with  the  guerillas  that  are  operating  on  their 
own  account  in  many  parts  of  the  State,  the 
foragers  are  really  very  mild;  for  they  do  not 
insult  women,  or  take  anything  from  the  farmers 
and  planters  except  provisions ;  and  they  treat 
Federalists  and  Secessionists  just  alike,  for  sup 
plies  have  become  an  absolute  necessity  to  their 
army." 

"  Troops  are  constantly  arriving  from  the 
North ;  and  doubtless  they  intend  to  attack  Zol- 
licoffer  or  General  Crittenden,  whichever  it  may 
be,  in  his  position  near  the  Cumberland,"  sug 
gested  Captain  Gordon. 

"  I  doubt  if  Zollicoffer  will  wait  for  them  to 
do  that;  for  he  must  find  the  Union  forces,  and 
beat  them,  or  retreat  into  Tennessee.  Should 
he  stay  where  he  is,  he  must  either  surrender 
or  starve." 

It  appeared  subsequently  that  he  decided  upon 
the  alternative  of  crossing  the  Cumberland,  and 
attacking  the  Union  forces  wherever  he  could 
find  them.  He  was  compelled  to  do  this,  as  Mr. 


112      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

Kennedy  declared,  or  starve  for  the  want  of  sup 
plies.  Mill  Springs,  which  is  the  name  given 
to  the  battle  that  was  fought  by  Zollicoffer, 
though  it  is  called  Somerset,  and  also  Logan's 
Cross  Roads,  is  on  the  south  side  of  the  Cumber 
land  River,  and  is  a  post-town.  But  the  battle 
was  not  fought  on  that  side  of  the  river,  and 
it  is  the  name  of  the  position  of  the  Confederate 
army  before  the  battle. 

The  line  of  defence,  or  of  attack,  as  might  be, 
chosen  by  the  Confederate  army  under  General 
Johnston  in  Kentucky,  appeared  to  extend  across 
the  southern  part  of  the  State,  and  included  three 
strongholds,  the  first  of  which  was  Columbus,  on 
the  Mississippi  River,  on  the  west ;  Bowling 
Green  in  the  centre  ;  and  around  Mill  Springs  on 
the  east.  General  Crittenden,  the  Southern  com- 
mander-in-chief  in  this  section,  had  intrenched 
himself  at  Beech  Grove,  in  Pulaski  County,  on 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  east  of  Mill  Springs. 

Zollicoffer  commanded  under  him,  and  the 
battle  was  fought  by  him.  His  position  was 
fifteen  miles  south-west  of  Somerset.  General 
Buell,  at  Louisville,  then  in  command  of  the 


BEFORE   THE   BATTLE   OF   MILL   SPRINGS      113 

Union  department  which  included  the  State  of 
Kentucky,  realized  the  necessity  of  reducing  this 
stronghold,  and  sent  General  George  H.  Thomas, 
the  ideal  soldier  of  the  war,  though  not  then 
so  well  known  as  at  a  later  period,  with  a  con 
siderable  force  to  this  region  to  accomplish  this 
object.  This  able  general  had  approached  his 
destination,  but  had  not  yet  concentrated  his 
force  for  the  attack.  It  was  General  Critten- 
den's  policy  to  beat  the  Union  army  in  detail 
before  the  troops  for  the  assault  had  been  massed 
for  the  final  attack  ;  but  Zollicoffer,  forced  by 
his  need  of  supplies,  crossed  the  river  in  a 
steamer  and  other  craft,  with  about  five  thou 
sand  men,  and  moved  towards  the  north,  to  attack 
the  force  that  threatened  him. 

This  was  the  situation  in  the  vicinity  of  Som 
erset  and  Mill  Springs  when  the  Riverlawn  Cav 
alry  was  marching  in  the  direction  of  the  former 
place  ;  and  one  company  had  reached  Millersville, 
while  the  other  was  believed  to  be  at  Harrison. 
The  raids  in  the  vicinity  by  foragers  and  gue 
rillas  had  been  the  immediate  cause  of  sending  the 
squadron  to  the  locality.  The  first  company  had 


114      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

camped  for  the  night;  and  the  officers  had  re 
turned  from  the  residence  of  Mr.  Kennedy,  where 
they  had  been  entertained  at  supper.  The  offi 
cers  and  soldiers  were  tired  enough  to  roll  them 
selves  up  in  their  blankets  in  their  beds  on  the 
grass  ;  and  Captain  Gordon  was  preparing  to  do 
so  when  one  of  the  sentinels  informed  him  that 
a  man  at  the  lines  wished  to  see  him,  and  he 
believed  it  was  the  one  who  had  been  the  guide 
of  the  first  platoon  in  the  forenoon,  for  he  gave 
his  name  as  Winfield  Milton. 

At  the  sound  of  this  name,  Deck,  who  had 
lain  down,  sprang  to  his  feet.  He  feared  that  he 
had  come  for  assistance  against  another  attack  of 
guerillas  or  foragers.  The  captain  ordered  him 
to  be  admitted  to  the  tent,  and  he  soon  appeared. 
He  had  rendered  very  valuable  service,  both  to 
Deck's  command  and  to  the  company  after  it 
was  united. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  disturb  you,  Captain,  at  this 
hour;  but  I  could  not  get  away  any  earlier,  for 
we  have  been  busy  over  at  Colonel  Halliburn's, 
moving  his  brother  and  his  wife,  and  transporting 
the  wounded  to  his  mansion." 


BEFORE   THE   BATTLE   OF   MILL   SPRINGS      115 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Mr.  Milton.  It 
is  only  eight  o'clock,  and  I  had  not  retired,"  re 
plied  the  captain.  "  But  I  hope  you  have  not 
been  attacked  again." 

"  No,  sir,  we  have  not  been  attacked ;  and  if 
we  had  been,  we  have  force  enough  at  the  col 
onel's  to  defend  ourselves,  for  we  have  a  part  of 
the  Home  Guards  from  this  town  to  re-enforce 
those  of  the  little  village,"  replied  Milton.  "  I 
came  for  another  purpose." 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  Win,"  inter 
posed  Deck,  as  he  grasped  the  hand  of  the  late 
guide. 

"  Sorry  to  turn  you  out  of  bed,  Lieutenant 
Lyon  ;  but  I  was  afraid  you  would  leave  before 
I  could  get  here  in  the  morning,"  replied  the  vis 
itor.  "  I  have  been  talking  with  Colonel  Halli- 
burn  since  you  left,  and  I  have  felt  not  a  little 
ashamed  that  I  am  not  in  the  Union  army  in 
its  time  of  need.  But  I  have  had  to  look  after 
Grace  and  her  guardian's  family,  and  that  is  the 
best  excuse  I  could  give  to  myself.  Now  they 
are  all  settled  at  the  colonel's,  and  I  have  come 
over  here  to  enlist  in  your  company,  Captain 


116  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

Gordon,  if  you  will  take  me.  You  have  lost 
some  men,  ancf  I  thought  you  might  want  some 
more." 

"  We  have  kept  both  of  our  companies  full  so 
far,  and  I  shall  be  glad  to  have  so  good  a  man 
as  you  are  in  our  ranks,"  promptly  answered  the 
captain.  "  When  shall  you  be  ready  to  join 
us?" 

"  Right  now  !  "  exclaimed  Milton. 

"  Is  Miss  Morgan  willing  that  you  should  en 
list  ?  "  asked  Deck  with  a  laugh. 

"  Grace  is  as  good  a  girl  as  ever  was  raised  in 
Kentucky,  and  she  has  always  been  ready  to  have 
me  go  to  the  war.  She  is  as  full  of  patriotism 
as  a  nut  is  of  meat,  and  says  she  should  be 
ashamed  to  make  any  objection  to  my  going.  I 
am  ready  to  sign  the  papers,  and  take  all  the 
steps  to  get  into  your  company,  Captain,"  con 
tinued  the  would-be  recruit. 

"Our  surgeon  is  with  the  other  company,  and 
you  must  be  examined  by  a  doctor." 

Milton  drew  a  paper  from  his  pocket,  which 
proved  to  be  a  certificate  to  his  physical  quali 
fications,  signed  by  Dr.  Barlow,  who  had  been 


BEFORE   THE   BATTLE   OF   MILL   SPRINGS      117 

regularly  appointed  as  an  examining  surgeon. 
The  Captain  wrote  down  the  particulars  in  an 
swer  to  his  questions,  and  Winfield  Milton  was 
duly  enlisted  in  the  service.  Deck  was  espe 
cially  pleased  with  the  result  of  this  interview, 
for  he  had  taken  a  strong  liking  to  Milton. 


118      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER  IX 

PREPARING  FOR  ANOTHER  BATTLE  IN  THE 
ROAD 

THE  Assembly  sounded  at  five  o'clock  the 
next  morning ;  and  half  an  hour  later  the 
troopers  had  their  breakfast  of  coffee,  hard 
tack,  and  cold  beef,  the  last  cooked  the  night 
before.  Milton  was  supplied  with  a  uniform 
and  accoutrements  from  a  wagon  by  the  quar 
termaster-sergeant.  He  had  served  in  the 
militia  in  a  company  of  mounted  men  raised  in 
his  county ;  and  though  some  of  the  tactics 
were  new  to  him,  he  was  at  home  in  most  of 
the  duties  of  the  soldier. 

At  six  o'clock,  while  there  was  still  hardly 
light  enough  to  recognize  a  friend  twenty  feet 
off,  the  company  was  formed ;  and  Life  Knox, 
who  was  the  orderly  sergeant,  reported  the  fact 
to  the  captain.  It  was  but  ten  miles  to  James 
town,  and  twenty-five  to  Harrison,  where  the 


PREPARING   FOR   ANOTHER   BATTLE          119 

two  companies  were  to  unite.  Life  Knox,  who 
had  earned  the  reputation  of  being  the  most  re 
liable  scout  in  the  company  or  the  squadron, 
was  sent  out  on  this  duty  with  Milton,  because 
the  latter  was  entirely  familiar  with  all  the 
country  in  Wayne  and  Pulaski  Counties. 

They  left  the  camp  somewhat  in  advance  of 
the  column.  Colonel  Halliburn  arrived  at  Mil- 
lersville  just  as  the  company  were  departing;  for 
he  had  received  important  intelligence,  brought 
by  a  friend  who  had  just  come  from  Roberts- 
port,  on  the  south  side  of  the  Cumberland  River, 
where  he  had  been  on  private  business.  The 
colonel  rode  by  the  side  of  the  captain  for  some 
distance  when  the  company  started. 

"You  must  have  been  up  all  night,  Colonel 
Halliburn,  for  you  are  here  in  the  gray  dawn 
of  the  morning,"  said  the  captain  when  his 
visitor  joined  him.  "What  is  the  news  from 
your  valley  ?  " 

"All  is  quiet  there,  though  we  keep  a  guard 
on  duty  by  night  and  day,"  replied  the  col 
onel.  "  The  doctor,  who  spent  the  night  at  my 
house,  reports  that  all  your  wounded  are  doing 


120  A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

well,  and  that  his  worst  case  is  likely  to  re 
cover.  But  my  news  is  from  the  other  direc 
tion." 

"  From  what  direction  ?  "  asked  Captain  Gor 
don,  deeply  interested  by  this  time  in  the  re 
marks  of  his  companion. 

"From  Jamestown,  not  ten  miles  from  this 
town.  My  friend  Squire  Walcott  has  just  re 
turned  from  Robertsport,  which  you  know  is 
only  a  few  miles  from  Mill  Springs,  and  in  the 
midst  of  Zollicoffer's  intrenchments.  He  belongs 
to  our  company,  and  had  some  difficulty  in  get 
ting  across  the  river;  but  he  managed  it  very- 
well,  though  he  was  under  suspicion.  He 
walked  five  miles  down  the  river,  and  there  fell 
in  with  a  negro  who  was  just  landing  from  a 
bateau. 

"For  a  silver  dollar  the  negro  ferried  him 
across  the  river.  The  fellow  knew  more  than 
the  law  allows  down  here,  and  Walcott  con 
trived  to  let  him  understand  that  he  was  a 
Union  man;  and  this  won  Cuffy's  heart,  and 
he  told  him  all  the  news  about  the  Confederate 
army  posted  there.  It  has  been  known  in  these 


PREPARING   FOR   ANOTHER   BATTLE          121 

parts  that  this  army  has  been  short  of  provisions 
and  forage  for  several  weeks,  but  we  did  not  sup 
pose  their  supplies  were  as  limited  as  this  negro 
reported. 

"  Both  the  men  and  the  horses  are  half  starved. 
Bare  existence  in  the  camp  was  a  hard  struggle ; 
and  some  of  the  regiments  subsisted  on  one- 
third  of  the  ordinary  rations,  and  the  horses  and 
mules  were  hardly  in  condition  for  use.  The 
fractional  ration  consisted  of  bread  alone  in 
many  portions  of  the  army.  The  supplies  of 
the  north-east  counties  had  been  exhausted;  and 
most  of  the  subsistence  had  been  obtained  lat- 
lerly  from  Kentucky,  gathered  in  by  foragers  of 
the  cavalry. 

"Cuffy  had  a  son  who  was  the  body-servant 
of  a  colonel  of  a  Tennessee  regiment ;  and  he 
told  his  father  what  he  learned ,  in  the  camp, 
the  most  important  item  of  which  was  that  Zol- 
licoffer  would  soon  attack  the  Federal  forces 
wherever  he  could  find  them.  He  could  remain 
no  longer  in  his  intrenchments,  with  starvation 
staring  him  full  in  the  face.  Of  course  I  am 
telling  this  in  my  own  language,  as  I  translated 
it  from  the  negro's  gibberish. 


122  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"But  this  is  not  the  most  vital  news  to  you 
at  this  time,  though  it  may  be  of  service  to 
you.  Walcott  made  his  way  on  foot  to  the 
cabin  where  he  left  his  horse,  and  then  rode  to 
Jamestown.  At  this  town  he  found  a  full  com 
pany  of  the  Seventeenth  Tennessee  Cavalry, 
who  had  camped  there  the  night  before,  living 
on  what  was  left  of  the  fat  of  the  land ;  for  "the 
place  had  been  raided  twice  before.  They  had 
two  wagons  with  them,  and  it  was  evident  that 
they  intended  to  load  them  with  provisions 
and  forage. 

"Walcott  reached  his  home  at  midnight,  and 
immediately  called  upon  me  with  the  news  he 
had  gathered.  At  Jamestown  he  saw  one  of  the 
lieutenants  flirting  with  a  girl  in  front  of  the 
hotel.  This  officer  was  summoned  to  supper, 
and  his  companion  hastened  up  the  street.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  a  storekeeper  in  the  town, 
which  is  the  county  seat  of  Russell  County; 
and  my  friend  had  often  traded  there  in  goods 
he  could  not  find  in  the  towns  nearer  home. 

"The  girl  was  speaking  to  her  father  when 
Walcott  went  in ;  but  the  keeper  of  the  store 


PREPARING   FOR   ANOTHER   BATTLE          123 

welcomed  him.  He  had  not  much  to  say  to  the 
trader ;  but  he  saluted  the  daughter,  and  engaged 
her  in  conversation.  He  began  by  warning  her 
to  be  very  discreet  in  her  relations  with  good- 
looking  officers  of  the  Southern  army.  Then 
he  asked  her  what  the  company  were  doing  in 
Jamestown ;  and  she  told  him  they  were  going 
to  Millers ville,  and  that  he  would  call  and  see 
her  on  his  return.  She  was  a  very  pretty  girl, 
and  I  hope  she  profited  by  my  friend's  advice." 

"  But  when  did  all  this  occur  ?  "  inquired  Cap 
tain  Gordon,  intensely  interested  when  he  heard 
that  the  company  were  coming  to  Millers  ville. 

"  I  told  you  that  Walcott  got  home  at  mid 
night,"  answered  the  colonel. 

"But  midnight  divides  any  two  days  in  the 
month  of  January,  and  in  every  other  month  in 
every  year.  What  particular  midnight  was  it?  " 

"  Why,  the  very  last  one  that  ever  was  —  last 
night.  My  friend  rode  half  the  night  in  order 
to  give  me,  as  the  captain  of  the  Home  Guards, 
this  news,  as  soon  as  he  got  to  the  town, 
less  than  half  an  hour  ago.  I  called  on  Lieu 
tenant  -Ripley,  and  ordered  him  to  muster  our 


124  A    LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

company,  and  get  as  many  volunteers  to  defend 
the  town  as  he  could.  The  second  lieuten 
ant,  who  lives  near  me,  will  march  the  men  on 
guard  in  the  little  village  to  town  at  once.  I 
believe  I  have  told  you  all  I  know,  Captain 
Gordon." 

"I  am  exceedingly  obliged  to  you  for  the 
information  you  have  given  me,1'  replied  the 
commander  of  the  company. 

"I  am  inclined  to  think  I  had  better  take  the 
bull  by  the  horns,  and  march  my  company,  all 
but  a  guard  for  the  town,  over  here,  and  join 
you.  My  men  all  have  horses,  and  are  well 
armed,  though  they  are  not  provided  with  sabres. 
Most  of  them  have  hunting-rifles,  and  are  dead 
shots,"  continued  the  colonel. 

"I  shall  not  object  to  your  marching  your 
company  over  here,  though  I  think  I  can  han 
dle  the  enemy  alone ;  but  you  must  use  your 
own  judgment,"  added  the  captain. 

"  I  would  rather  fight  the  battle  over  here 
than  in  the  town  ;  and  I  shall  bring  my  men, 
and  put  them  under  your  command,  Captain 
Gordon.  I  think  they  are  all  ready  by  this 


PREPARING   FOR   ANOTHER   BATTLE          125 

time,"  replied  the  colonel,  as  he  wheeled  his 
horse,  and  rode  back  at  a  gallop. 

The  commander  communicated  the  intelligence 
he  had  just  received  to  his  two  lieutenants ;  and 
it  was  heard  by  some  of  the  cavalrymen,  from 
whom  it  passed  along  the  ranks,  till  all  of  them 
knew  that  a  battle  would  soon  be  fought,  per 
haps  within  a  couple  of  hours.  The  captain  rode 
back  to  the  head  of  the  column.  He  had 
increased  the  speed  of  the  company  from  a  walk 
to  a  trot  while  conversing  with  Colonel  Halliburn. 

The  captain  had  no  doubt  that  the  informa 
tion  he  had  received  was  entirely  correct;  and 
he  hurried  his  men  somewhat,  hoping  to  find 
a  better  place  for  the  coming  combat  than  he 
had  yet  seen  along  the  road,  with  woods  on 
each  side  of  the  way.  But  he  rode  about 
three  miles  farther  before  he  came  to  a  loca 
tion  that  suited  him.  It  was  a  hill  with  a 
rude  farmhouse  at  the  top  of  it,  on  the  right. 
The  land  on  this  side  had  been  cleared,  and  the 
crops  had  been  harvested  from  it.  At  the  as 
cent  of  the  hill  on  the  left,  about  ten  acres  had 
been  recently  cleared,  while  a  continuous  forest 


126  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

began  at  the  crest  of  the  hill,  and  extended  as 
far  as  he  could  see. 

The  captain  realized  that  he  could  not  have 
found  a  better  location  for  his  purpose  in  the 
whole  State  of  Kentucky ;  and  he  gave  the  order 
to  halt  and  to  remain  at  ease  when  the  com 
pany  was  not  more  than  half-way  up  the  hill. 
He  preferred  to  make  his  charge,  when  it  came 
to  that,  down  the  hill;  and  he  had  come  to  a 
halt  where  his  force  could  not  be  seen  by  an 
enemy  on  the  other  side  of  the  elevation. 

Captain  Gordon  was  accounted  a  skilful  strat 
egist  ;  and  as  he  sat  on  his  horse  at  the  head 
of  the  column,  he  matured  his  plan  to  meet 
the  attack,  or  to  begin  it,  as  the  case  might 
be.  He  had  not  waited  much  more  than  an 
hour  when  the  Millersville  Home  Guard  gal 
loped  up  to  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  halted. 
The  captain  rode  back  to  the  head  of  their 
column,  and  the  colonel  in  command  saluted 
him.  The  horses  were  reeking  with  foam,  and 
seemed  to  be  well  nigh  winded,  so  great  was 
the  speed  to  which  they  had  been  urged.  It 
was  a  horse-raising  country,  and  the  animals 
were  of  the  highest  grade. 


PREPARING  FOR  ANOTHER  BATTLE         127 

"My  men  are  now  under  your  command, 
Captain  Gordon,  and  personally  I  will  obey 
your  orders,"  said  the  colonel.  "I  have  ex 
plained  the  matter  to  my  men;  and  they  all 
understand  it,  and  will  recognize  you  as  the 
commander  of  the  whole  force." 

"I  shall  give  my  orders  to  you,  sir,  as  the 
captain  of  the  company,  as  far  as  practicable," 
replied  Captain  Gordon.  "How  many  men 
have  you  ?  " 

"Sixty-four,  besides  the  two  lieutenants." 

"  How  many  of  them  are  armed  with  rifles  ?  " 

"  More  than  I  thought  when  I  spoke  to  you 
about  them,  for  there  are  forty-two  of  them; 
and  they  are  skilled  in  the  use  of  their  wea 
pons." 

"Call  them  from  the  ranks,  if  you  please, 
and  have  the  first  lieutenant  march  them  to 
the  top  of  the  hill,"  continued  the  captain. 
"If  you  will  go  with  me,  I  will  explain  my 
plan  of  action." 

"I  obey  your  orders,  Captain." 

The  men  with  rifles  were  called  out  at  once, 
and  formed  in  fours  by  Lieutenant  Ripley. 


128  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

The  second  lieutenant  formed  the  other  twenty- 
two  in  the  same  order.  They  had  muskets 
slung  on  their  backs,  and  most  of  them  had 
heavy  revolvers  in  their  belts,  the  only  uni 
form  any  of  the  company  wore.  The  captain 
sent  for  a  quartermaster-sergeant,  and  ordered 
him  to  bring  twenty-two  sabres  from  one  of  the 
wagons. 

Sergeant  Fronklyn  was  sent  for,  and  he  was 
directed  to  drill  these  men  in  the  most  im 
portant  cuts  and  thrusts  of  the  manual  until 
the  men  were  needed  for  service.  The  cap 
tain,  with  Colonel  Halliburn,  returned  to  the 
head  of  the  column,  when  the  plan  was  ex 
plained;  and  his  companion  declared  that  it 
would  make  short  work  of  the  approaching 
company. 

The  riflemen  were  posted  in  the  woods  on 
the  left,  and  their  lieutenant  was  fully  in 
formed  what  was  expected  of  him.  They  were 
to  dismount,  leave  their  horses  farther  in  the 
forest,  and  then  station  themselves  behind  the 
trees.  When  the  enemy  came  within  rifle-shot 
of  them,  they  were  to  pick  them  off,  the 


PREPARING    FOR    ANOTHER   BATTLE          129 

column  being  divided  among  them,  so  that  all 
might  not  fire  at  the  same  mark.  This  was 
to  be  the  greeting  of  the  Confederate  company. 

The  captain  explained  to  his  companion  in 
what  manner  the  main  body  of  the  company 
and  its  re-enforcement  were  to  go  into  the  action. 
Twenty  men  were  sent  to  take  away  the  fence 
on  the  right  hand  of  the  road;  and  it  was  soon 
removed,  in  spite  of  the  protest  of  the  farmer. 
The  rails  and  posts  were  carried  far  enough  to 
be  out  of  the  way.  This  work  was  performed 
under  the  supervision  of  the  second  lieutenant. 
It  was  hardly  completed  before  Deck  discovered 
the  proprietor  stealing  to  the  east,  and  evidently 
intending  to  reach  the  road  on  the  descent  of 
the  hill.  He  arrested  the  man,  and  he  was  con 
ducted  to  the  head  of  the  column. 

The  captain  ordered  him  to  be  tied  to  a  tree 
in  the  shelter  of  his  cabin ;  for  it  was  plain 
that  he  meant  to  inform  the  enemy  of  the  pres 
ence  of  the  Union  company.  The  lieutenants 
were  then  instructed  what  they  were  to  do; 
and  this  had  hardly  been  done,  before  Life 
and  Milton  were  discovered  riding  furiously  up 


130  A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  road.  They  reported  the  enemy  approach 
ing  very  leisurely  towards  the  hill,  and  not 
more  than  half  a  mile  from  it.  The  sergeant 
was  confident  they  had  not  been  seen,  for  they 
had  been  careful  to  keep  out  of  sight  around 
a  bend  in  the  road. 

The  company  were  still  too  far  down  the 
declivity  to  be  seen  till  the  enemy  came  to  the 
top  of  the  hill,  and  the  riflemen  were  likely  to 
bring  them  to  a  halt  before  they  could  reach 
that  point.  The  captain  had  taken  a  position 
where  he  could  see  without  being  seen.  Sooner 
than  he  expected  he  saw  the  head  of  the  Confed 
erate  column,  and  ten  minutes  later  the  riflemen 
began  the  discharge  of  their  pieces.  The  first 
man  to  drop  from  his  saddle  was  the  commander 
of  the  company,  who  was  the  most  conspicuous 
mark  at  the  head  of  his  command. 


THE  SHARPSHOOTERS   OP   MILLERSVILLE     131 


CHAPTER    X 

THE  SHARPSHOOTERS  OF  MILLERSVILLE 

THE  forty-two  riflemen  of  the  Home  Guard 
were  sharpshooters  who  had  practised  for  many 
years  with  the  weapon,  both  as  hunters  and  by 
firing  at  a  mark.  Some  of  them  were  past  the 
military  age ;  and  the  lieutenant  in  command  of 
the  detachment  was  sixty  years  old,  and  he  had 
won  his  spurs  as  the  best  shot  in  the  town.  He 
was  a  man  of  influence,  and  his  skill  had  pro 
cured  him  his  present  position  in  the  company. 

Lieutenant  Ripley  was  at  the  right  of  the  line 
of  sharpshooters.  He  had  stationed  his  men  in 
the  woods,  and  ordered  them  not  to  fire  till  he 
did  so ;  and  they  were  to  load  and  fire  at  will 
after  he  had  given  the  first  discharge.  When 
the  captain  of  the  Confederate  cavalry  dropped 
from  his  horse,  it  was  known  by  whose  shot  he 
had  fallen.  A  couple  of  men  were  ordered  to 
dismount,  and  bear  him  to  the  side  of  the 


132  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

roads;  and  the  lieutenant  who  succeeded  to  the 
command  ordered  a  halt. 

Captain  Gordon  and  Colonel  Hallibum  were 
behind  the  farmer's  house,  where  they  had  re 
tired,  not  to  avoid  the  bullets  of  the  enemy, 
but  to  obtain  a  position  where  they  could  see 
without  being  seen.  The  horse  of  the  former 
stood  on  a  knoll,  from  which  his  rider  could 
look  over  the  corner  of  the  low  building,  and 
the  latter  was  at  his  side.  Both  of  them  saw 
the  captain  of  the  company  fall  from  his  horse. 

"Ripley  fired  that  shot,"  said  the  colonel. 
"He  was  never  known  to  miss  his  aim  when 
he  had  fair  play." 

"That  was  a  good  beginning,  at  any  rate," 
added  the  captain. 

"But  why  don't  the  next  man  in  the  line 
fire  ? "  mused  the  commander  of  the  Home 
Guard,  uttering  his  thought. 

They  could  not  know  then  the  reason ;  but 
they  learned  afterwards  that  the  lieutenant  had 
ordered  them  not  to  do  so,  as  he  wished  to 
observe  the  effect  of  the  death  of  the  captain, 
for  he  had  not  moved  after  he  fell.  The  com- 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OF   MILLERSVILLE      133 

pany  seemed  to  be  staggered  by  the  event  for 
the  space  of  a  minute.  The  men  all  turned 
their  heads  towards  the  woods ;  and  as  no  shot 
followed  the  first  one  at  once,  they  might  have 
inferred  that  the  fatality  to  the  commander  had 
been  the  work  of  an  assassin. 

This  view  was  immediately  confirmed  by  the 
captain's  successor;  for  he  ordered  four  troopers 
to  dismount,  and  go  into  the  woods  in  search  of 
the  murderer.  But  they  did  not  reach  the  edge 
of  the  forest  before  fire  was  opened  upon  them, 
and  every  one  of  them  dropped  dead  or  wounded. 
The  rifle  was  a  terribly  effective  weapon  in 
the  hands  of  the  sharpshooters.  The  company 
had  certainly  fallen  into  an  ambush.  The 
troopers  could  do  nothing  on  their  horses  in  the 
woods,  and  for  the  moment  they  were  practically 
helpless. 

The  fire  continued  all  along  the  line  of  rifle 
men,  one  discharge  at  a  time,  so  that  no  two 
men  should  aim  at  the  same  soldier  or  officer; 
and  all  along  the  detachment  every  one  seemed 
to  bring  down  his  man.  The  lieutenant  saw 
the  havoc  made  in  his  command;  but  Captain 


134  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

•  Gordon  did  not  give  the  order  for  his  company 
to  advance  on  the  plan  he  had  arranged. 

The  battle  appeared  to  be  fighting  itself  with 
out  any  assistance  from  the  summit  of  the  hill, 
and  it  was  evident  that  the  enemy  had  no 
knowledge  of  any  force  outside  of  the  forest. 

"  That  lieutenant  has  just  given  an  order,  but 
I  could  not  make  out  what  he  said,"  observed 
the  colonel.  "  He  is  in  a  tight  place,  and  you 
have  set  a  very  ugly  trap  for  that  company  to 
fall  into,  Captain  Gordon." 

"The  assistance  of  your  company,  Colonel, 
has  given  me  a  very  decided  advantage,"  replied 
the  captain. 

"And  you  have  made  excellent  use  of  it.  My 
men  are  safe  in  the  woods,  and  the  lieutenant 
seems  to  be  losing  his  time." 

"You  can  see  what  his  order  meant  now,  for 
his  men  are  dismounting.  They  are  going  into 
the  woods  to  clean  out  the  enemy,  and  that  is 
really  the  only  thing  he  can  do,"  replied  Cap 
tain  Gordon.  "  It  will  be  time  for  me  to  put  a 
finger  in  the  pie  very  soon,  for  the  protection 
of  your  men,  if  for  nothing  else." 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OF   MILLERSVILLE      135 

"You  need  not  trouble  your  head  about  the 
riflemen,  for  they  all  have  legs ;  and  even  Ripley, 
the  oldest  man  among  them,  can  use  his  walk 
ing-pins  as  well  as  any  of  them.  They  will 
retreat  through  the  woods,  using  their  rifles  as 
they  retire." 

Every  alternate  man  of  the  company  was  dis 
mounted,  giving  the  bridle-rein  of  his  horse  to 
one  mounted.  They  double-quicked  into  the 

* 

forest ;  but  they  began  to  drop,  to  cling  to  the 
trees  for  support,  or  to  retire  from  the  field  be 
fore  the  observers  on  the  hill  lost  sight  of  them. 
Still  Captain  Gordon  did  not  give  the  word  to 
advance. 

"Isn't  it  time  for  this  company  to  move  for 
ward?"  asked  the  colonel. 

"  Not  quite ;  it  is  best  to  wait  a  short  time, 
till  the  cavalrymen  get  a  little  farther  into  the 
woods,"  answered  the  captain.  "  Your  men  are 
firing  quite  rapidly  now,  and  are  evidently  re 
tiring  in  good  order." 

"I  am  not  at  all  concerned  about  them.  They 
can  keep  behind  the  trees,  firing  as  they  retreat. 
The  riflemen  have  hunted  through  that  forest, 


136  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

which  extends  five  or  six  miles  to  the  north, 
and  they  have  known  every  acre  of  it  for  years. 
They  are  quite  at  home  there ;  and  they  will  not 
fall  into  any  creek  or  mud-hole,  as  the  enemy 
would  without  a  guide." 

"  They  are  brave  men,  and  they  have  done 
good  work  this  morning.  But  it  is  now  time 
for  my  company  to  make  a  move ;  for  I  will  not 
leave  your  guards  to  do  all  the  fighting,"  added 
Captain  Gordon,  as  he  descended  from  the 
knoll,  followed  by  his  companion. 

He  had  already  explained  to  his  two  lieuten 
ants  in  command  of  the  platoons  what  they 
were  to  do  at  a  signal  sounded  by  the  bugler. 
The  captain  rode  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  though 
he  did  not  expose  himself  to  the  fire  of  the 
enemy,  who  were  still  unaware  of  his  presence. 
Stufton  was  near  the  head  of  the  column,  and 
he  gave  him  the  order  to  sound  the  advance. 
He  did  it  with  full  lungs.  Lieutenant  Lyon, 
commanding  the  second  platoon,  gave  the  order 
to  march,  and  his  men  started  at  a  trot,  which 
was  immediately  changed  to  a  gallop.  The  far 
mer's  fence  had  been  removed  by  order  of  the 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OF   MILLERSVILLE       187 

captain  when  he  had  arranged  his  plan  for  the 
action;  and  Deck,  on  the  right  flank  of  his  com 
mand,  took  to  the  field,  where  they  had  plenty 
of  space,  though  recent  rains  had  turned  the 
soil  into  soft  mud.  But  the  speed  was  kept  up 
in  spite  of  this  impediment  till  the  head  of  the 
platoon  reached  the  left,  or  foot,  of  the  Con 
federate  company. 

In  response  to  the  bugle  signal,  Lieutenant 
Belthorpe  advanced  upon  the  head  of  the  ene 
my's  column,  deploying  to  the  side  of  the  road, 
and  continuing  till  they  filled  up  the  space  to 
the  foot  of  Deck's  force.  The  enemy  had  dis 
charged  their  carbines,  or  other  pieces,  at  ran 
dom,  and  apparently  without  orders ;  but  they 
inflicted  no  injury  upon  the  flying  horsemen. 
Deck  was  the  first  to  give  the  order  to  charge ; 
but  he  had  been  prohibited  by  the  captain,  to 
whom  some  one  had  reported  the  young  lieu 
tenant's  custom  of  leading  his  men  into  action, 
from  placing  himself  in  front  of  his  men  when 
he  went  in  upon  a  charge,  unless  in  a  case  of 
actual  emergency. 

Deck  promised  to  obey  this  order,  and  he  did 


138      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

so  in  the  advance  of  his  platoon;  and  when  he 
ordered  the  charge  upon  the  left  of  the  enemy's 
column,  he  was  on  its  right.  Every  man  of 
the  Confederates  was  encumbered  with  an  ex 
tra  horse,  though  as  they  confronted  the  Union 
cavalrymen  he  rid  himself  of  his  charge  ;  and 
thus  turned  loose,  the  animals  were  soon  wander 
ing  wherever  they  found  an  opening.  Deck  had 
very  nearly  his  full  complement  of  men,  and  so 
had  Tom  Belthorpe;  for  the  soldiers  of  the  Home 
Guard  had  been  detailed  to  guard  the  baggage- 
wagons,  and  picket  the  rear  of  the  column. 
One-half  of  the  Confederates  had  been  sent  into 
the  woods,  and  by  this  time  they  had  advanced  a 
considerable  distance  in  pursuit  of  the  riflemen. 
The  enemy  were  at  present  doubly  outnum 
bered;  and  though  they  realized  the  fact,  they 
fought  as  though  they  had  been  contending 
man  for  man.  Indeed,  they  contended  desper 
ately  against  the  odds  before  them,  and  de 
served  victory  for  their  steady  valor.  But  with 
them  then  it  was  a  "lost  cause,"  and  through 
no  fault  of  their  own.  Before  the  Union  col 
umn  had  reached  the  position  assigned  to  them, 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OF   MILLERSVILLE      139 

the  lieutenant  in  command  had  sent  his  bugler 
into  the  forest  to  sound  the  retreat  for  the  por 
tion  of  the  company  pursuing  the  riflemen. 

As  he  returned,  the  officer  shouted  at  him  to 
give  the  signal  for  the  charge,  and  his  men 
promptly  responded  to  it.  The  fighting  then 
became  furious  on  both  sides.  The  second  lieu 
tenant  in  front  of  Deck's  men  was  a  noble- 
looking  young  man,  who  fought  like  a  lion  at 
bay,  and  defended  himself  with  great  skill  from 
the  two  Union  troopers  that  assailed  him  in 
front;  but  it  was  an  unequal  conflict,  and  pres 
ently  he  was  wounded  in  the  sword-arm,  so  that 
he  could  no  longer  use  his  sabre  with  that 
hand,  and  grasped  it  with  his  left.  He  struck 
with  it  several  times ;  but  he  could  not  handle 
his  weapon  as  he  had  before,  and  he  was  soon 
cut  near  the  shoulder  of  his  left  arm,  receiving 
a  wound  which  entirely  disabled  him. 

Deck,  filled  with  admiration  for  the  brave 
young  officer,  ordered  one  of  the  men  to  lead 
the  horse  of  the  wounded  soldier  out  of  the 
crowd,  which  he  did,  conducting  him  to  the 
side  of  the  Union  lieutenant.  It  was  soon  re- 


140  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

ported  along  the  line  that  the  first  lieutenant  of 
the  Confederates  had  been  disabled,  and  had 
retired  from  the  field.  By  this  time  the  crack 
of  the  rifles  was  again  heard  in  the  forest, 
though  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  road. 
The  captain  interpreted  these  sounds  as  the  re 
treat  of  the  force  of  the  enemy  sent  into  the 
woods,  the  riflemen  shooting  them  down  as 
they  retired. 

Before  this  force,  more  than  decimated  by  the 
sharpshooters,  could  reach  the  road,  however 
they  hurried,  the  other  half  of  the  company 
had  been  driven  to  the  verge  of  the  forest ; 
but  they  realized  that  they  were  thoroughly 
beaten,  and  that  any  further  resistance  meant 
nothing  but  slaughter.  The  orderly  sergeant  of 
the  company,  who  succeeded  to  the  command, 
shouted  to  Lieutenant  Belthorp  that  he  was 
ready  to  surrender.  Tom  repeated  the  words 
to  the  captain,  and  Stufton  was  ordered  to  give 
the  proper  signal  to  bring  the  attack  to  an 
end. 

"You  have  fought  like  a  hero,  sir,  and  I  am 
sorry  for  you ;  but  you  are  my  prisoner,"  said 


"THKY  LAID  HIM  ON  THE  GRASS  JUST  AS  THE  RECALL  WAS  SOUNDED." 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OP   MILLERSVILLE       141 

Deck  to  the  wounded  lieutenant  when  he  was 
conducted  to  his  side. 

"  I  surrender,"  replied  the  prisoner  faintly ; 
and  it  was  evident  to  Deck  that  he  was  in 
great  pain  from  the  wound  in  his  shoulder. 

The  Union  lieutenant  called  a  man  to  assist 
him  in  dismounting  the  officer.  They  laid  him 
on  the  grass  just  as  the  recall  was  sounded, 
and  proceeded  to  remove  his  coat.  The  blood 
was  flowing  freely  from  both  of  his  wounds,  and 
he  was  quite  faint.  But  Deck  saw  at  once 
that  the  wound  was  not  fatal ;  and  he  sent 
word  to  the  Confederate  surgeon,  who  was  at 
tending  to  the  men  that  were  brought  into  the 
field  in  the  rear  of  the  column,  that  he  was 
needed  for  the  officer  of  his  command. 

In  the  meantime,  Deck  tied  up  the  worst 
wound  of  the  prisoner  with  his  handkerchief, 
and  did  what  he  could  to  stop  the  flow  of 
blood.  He  used  some  of  the  rags  with  which 
his  mother  had  supplied  him;  but  the  surgeon 
promptly  appeared. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  see  you  wounded,  Lieutenant 
Lawrence,"  said  the  doctor,  as  he  observed  the 


142      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

pale  face  of  the  young  officer ;  and  then  gave 
him  a  medicine  glass  full  of  a  dark  fluid, 
which  was  probably  brandy. 

"It  was  a  hard  fight,  Doctor,"  replied  the 
sufferer. 

"  But  Lieutenant  Lawrence  has  fought  like 
the  bravest  of  the  brave,  and  I  am  sorry  for 
his  misfortune,"  added  Deck. 

"  Who  may  you  be,  sir  ?  I  see  that  you 
wear  the  uniform  of  the  blue,"  said  the  sur 
geon,  looking  him  in  the  face. 

"  He  is  a  Yankee  officer ;  but  he  has  been 
kind  to  me,  and  had  me  brought  out  of  the 
fight  when  I  was  utterly  disabled,"  said  the 
wounded  officer,  apparently  revived  by  the  stim 
ulant  he  had  taken.  "I  am  grateful  to  him  for 
his  kindness." 

"  I  am  Lieutenant  Lyon  of  the  Riverlawn 
Cavalry,"  replied  Deck.  "  This  gentleman's 
bravery  and  skill  excited  my  admiration ;  and  I 
have  done  the  little  I  could  for  him." 

"  I  thank  you,  Lieutenant  Lyon,  for  what  you 
have  done  for  my  friend ;  and  if  you  are  an  enemy, 
you  are  a  noble  one,  and  I  honor  you  for  your 


THE   SHARPSHOOTERS   OF   MILLER SVILLE      143 

Christianity  on  the  battle-field,"  replied  the  sur 
geon,  as  he  took  the  hand  of  Deck  and  pressed 
it  warmly.  "  I  reckon  all  the  Yankee  officers  are 
not  like  you,  Lieutenant." 

"  Those  in  my  squadron  are,"  answered  Deck. 

"  Your  name  is  Lyon.  I  have  heard  of  the 
Riverlawn  Cavalry  in  Edmonson  County,  where 
I  have  an  uncle  ;  and  I  was  thinking  you  were 
the  major  in  command  of  it,"  added  the  surgeon, 
still  at  work  on  his  patient. 

"  That  is  my  father,"  replied  the  lieutenant. 

Life  Knox  came  to  Deck  at  this  moment,  to 
announce  that  another  force  of  cavalry  was  ap 
proaching  from  the  direction  of  Jamestown,  though 
he  had  not  been  able  to  make  out  what  it  was, 
whether  friend  or  foe. 


144  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER  XI 

THE  APPROACH  OF  ANOTHER  CAVALRY  FORCE 

THE  soldiers  on  both  sides  were  already  en 
gaged  in  removing  the  dead  to  the  side  of  the 
road  next  to  the  woods,  and  the  wounded  to  the 
respective  hospitals,  which  had  been  established  in 
the  fields  of  the  farmer.  The  riflemen  had  heard 
the  recall,  and  followed  the  defeated  cavalrymen, 
bearing  their  wounded,  and  handed  them  over  to 
the  surgeon,  who  had  called  in  three  medical  stu 
dents  to  his  aid.  Lieutenant  Ripley  had  handled 
his  sharpshooters  so  skilfully  that  not  a  single 
man  had  been  killed,  and  only  three  had  been 
wounded. 

He  had  kept  his  force  behind  the  trees,  and 
fought  the  enemy  at  long  range,  in  which  the  car 
bines  and  other  firearms  were  not  effective;  and 
this  policy  explained  the  absence  of  all  fatalities 
in  Ripley's  force.  The  three  wounded  men  were 
not  severely  injured,  and  only  one  was  disabled. 


APPROACH  OF  ANOTHER  CAVALRY  FORCE  145 

Deck  sent  Sergeant  Knox  to  Captain  Gordon 
with  the  information  of  the  approaching  cavalry 
force  which  was  now  the  great  matter  of  interest. 
He  sent  Life  and  Milton  as  scouts,  to  ascertain 
"  their  politics,"  as  the  sergeant  put  it.  His  eyes 
were  very  sharp,  and  always  looking  about  him, 
like  the  skilful  seaman  Avhen  he  comes  on  deck. 
He  reported  that  he  had  seen  the  force  de 
scending  a  hill  more  than  a  mile  distant,  disap 
pearing  in  a  few  minutes  in  the  valley  below. 
Life  and  Milton  started  off  at  a  gallop,  and  had 
soon  passed  out  of  sight. 

"  What  does  that  report  mean,  Captain  Gor 
don  ? "  inquired  Colonel  Halliburn,  as  soon  as 
the  two  scouts  had  dashed  down  the  column. 

"  I  am  sure  I  don't  know ;  but  if  I  should  in 
fer  anything  from  the  appearance  of  a  force  at 
this  time,  it  would  be  that  it  was  another  com 
pany  of  Confederate  cavalry,"  replied  the  captain. 
"  Can  any  intelligence  of  our  movements  have 
reached  the  enemy  to  the  eastward  of  us,  Col 
onel  ?  " 

"  It  is  more  than  possible  that  some  one  going 
across  by  the  private  road  passing  my  brother's 


146      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

mansion  may  have  carried  the  news  of  what  has 
been  going  on  at  Breedings,  and  on  the  road 
from  Millersville  to  Harrison,  but  not  to  James 
town,  for  the  great  wood  lies  in  the  route,  and 
no  one  travels  that  way." 

"  It  is  probable,  then,  that  the  force  approach 
ing  is  Confederate,  on  its  way  either  to  forage  or 
to  retrieve  the  disasters  to  that  side  in  the  affairs 
of  yesterday ;  and  all  we  have  to  do  is  to  pre 
pare  to  fight  another  engagement.  I  believe  the 
dead  and  wounded  have  all  been  removed  by  this 
time.  I  see  that  the  sharpshooters  have  assisted 
my  men  in  this  work." 

"  I  sent  an  order  to  them  to  that  effect,"  added 
Colonel  Halliburn. 

"  I  thank  you  for  doing  so ;  and  all  the  more 
that  we  are  threatened  by  another  force  of  the 
enemy,"  continued  the  captain.  "Your  men,  es 
pecially  the  riflemen,  have  rendered  very  impor 
tant  service  in  this  action,  and  I  shall  report  it 
to  Major  Lyon  when  the  squadron  is  reunited. 
The  rest  of  your  men  have  been  veiy  useful  to 
us,  not  only  in  guarding  the  wagons,  but  in  the 
fight  with  the  second  platoon.  I  think  you  had 


OF   ANOTHER   CAVALRY   FORCE     147 

better  send  an  orderly  to  Lieutenant  Ripley  with 
an  order  that  he  remain  where  he  is  by  the  woods  ; 
for  if  we  engage  another  company  of  the  enemy, 
the  riflemen  will  be  needed  to  act  as  sharpshooters, 
and  to  render  the  same  service  as  before,  though 
they  will  probably  not  be  driven  back  again  be 
yond  rifle-shot  distance  from  the  road." 

"  As  the  enemy  approach  they  will  see  the 
hospitals  on  their  left,  and  that  will  apprise 
them  that  a  battle  has  been  fought  here." 

"  We  have  not  time  to  remove  these  hospitals, 
and  put  everything  as  it  was  at  the  beginning 
of  the  engagement;  but  I  shall  fight  this  en 
counter  so  far  as  possible  on  the  same  plan  as 
before,  for  it  worked  admirably;  and  we  owe 
the  result  as  much  to  our  fortunate  position  as 
to  anything  else,  for  it  enabled  me  to  place  your 
riflemen  where  they  did  the  most  effective  work 
of  the  morning." 

Captain  Gordon  had  already  despatched  messen 
gers  to  his  two  lieutenants,  instructing  them  to 
move  their  platoons  back  to  the  side  of  the  hill 
to  the  positions  they  had  occupied  before  the  ac 
tion  ;  and  this  order  was  now  in  process  of  being 


148      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

executed.  Dr.  Barlow,  though  he  had  been  a 
fighting  man  at  the  beginning  of  the  engagement, 
was  now  attending  to  the  wounded,  assisted  by 
some  men  he  had  selected  from  his  own  com 
pany. 

"I  think  you  had  better  take  possession  of 
the  house  of  this  Secesh  farmer  for  the  wounded. 
He  would  have  spoiled  the  morning's  work  if 
he  had  escaped,  for  he  would  have  warned  the 
enemy  of  their  danger  from  a  superior  force." 

The  captain  approved  the  idea,  and  instructed 
the  colonel  to  effect  the  removal  with  his  own 
force.  The  riflemen  were  also  directed  to  remove 
the  dead  into  the  forest  until  there  was  time  to 
dispose  of  them.  The  ground  was  still  strewn 
with  the  dead,  as  they  had  fallen  under  the  de 
structive  fire  of  the  sharpshooters.  With  the  ex 
ception  of  the  Confederate  hospital,  which  was 
near  the  foot  of  the  hill,  —  for  their  own  surgeon 
had  chosen  the  location  by  the  side  of  a  flowing 
brook,  in  the  shadow  of  some  mighty  walnuts,  — 
the  hill  presented  the  same  appearance  as  when 
the  enemy  came  in  sight  of  it,  and  had  been  lured 
on  to  their  defeat  by  the  deceptive  silence  of 


APPROACH   OF   ANOTHER   CAVALRY   FORCE     149 

the  locality ;  for  not  a  sound  or  a  moving  thing 
betrayed  the  peril  that  surrounded  them. 

Life  Knox  and  Milton  had  run  their  horses  to 
the  utmost  extent  of  their  ability  for  over  half 
a  mile.  When  the  tramp  of  the  horses  was 
heard,  they  halted  and  concealed  themselves  at 
the  side  of  the  road,  at  a  bend  of  it;  but  they 
had  hardly  done  so  before  the  sound  of  the  horses' 
feet  ceased  to  be  heard,  and  it  looked  as  though 
the  force  had  halted.  Life  dismounted,  and 
climbed  a  tree  not  less  than  a  hundred  feet 
in  'height,  which  enabled  him  to  see  into  the 
low  ground  on  the  other  side  of  a  slight  eleva 
tion. 

The  cavalry  were  extended  along  a  brook,  wa 
tering  their  horses  on  both  sides  of  it.  The  trees 
overtopped  the  stream  so  that  it  was  quite  dark 
on  its  banks,  and  the  distance  was  so  great  that 
Life  could  not  make  out  whether  the  men  wore 
the  blue  or  the  gray,  especially  as  he  had  made 
up  his  mind  that  the  force  was  an  enemy,  and 
the  trees  half  hid  them  from  his  view.  He  de 
scended  from  his  perch,  and  waited  on  the  ground 
till  he  heard  the  clatter  of  a  couple  of  horses 


150  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

near  his  hiding-place.  He  obtained  a  view  of 
these  men,  and  they  wore  blue  uniforms. 

"All  right!"  exclaimed  Life.  "They  wear 
the  blue." 

He  waited  no  longer,  but  darted  into  the  road, 
followed  by  Milton.  The  two  men,  who  were 
scouting  in  advance  of  the  company,  brought  their 
carbines  to  the  shoulder. 

"I  reckon  you  needn't  shoot,  Keene,"  said 
the  sergeant  quietly. 

"  Sergeant  Knox !  "  cried  the  chief  scout. 
"  How  came  you  here  ?  Where  is  your  com 
pany?" 

"They  ain't  fur  from  here.  Are  you  piloting 
the  second  company  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry, 
Keene  ?  " 

"Fox  and  me  are  treading  down  the  mud  for 
the  company." 

"All  right;  we  uns  will  fall  back  and  report 
to  Major  Lyon,"  said  Life,  and  he  galloped  back 
to  the  main  body  of  the  company. 

The  commander  of  the  squadron  was  riding 
at  the  head  of  the  second  company,  and  ap 
peared  to  be  absorbed  in  his  own  thoughts.  He 


APPROACH   OF   ANOTHER   CAVALRY   FORCE     151 

had  learned  a  great  deal  about  the  situation  in 
Pulaski,  Russell,  and  Adair  Counties,  where  the 
Confederate  foragers  had  raided  to  secure  sup 
plies  for  the  main  army,  and  where,  as  in  many 
other  parts  of  the  State,  the  independent  parti 
san  bands  had  conducted  operations  on  their  own 
responsibility.  A  spur  of  the  Cumberland  Moun 
tains  extended  through  the  eastern  part  of  the 
first-named  county,  and  most  of  the  region  be 
tween  this  range  and  Virginia  was  mountainous. 
It  was  not  so  rich  in  supplies  for  an  army  as  the 
territory  to  the  west  of  it,  to  which  the  raiders 
had  confined  their  depredations. 

Major  Lyon,  like  a  good  soldier,  occasionally 
cast  his  eyes  around  him  to  take  in  the  condition 
and  topography  of  the  country  through  which 
he  was  passing ;  and  he  discovered  the  two 
scouts  as  they  approached  the  head  of  the  com 
pany.  His  first  supposition  was  that  the  first 
company  had  fallen  into  trouble,  and  that  the 
two  scouts  had  been  sent  forward  to  hurry  up 
the  other  company;  for  the  two,  as  it  had  been 
arranged  by  the  major,  were  to  come  together 
at  Harrison,  twenty-five  miles  from  Millersville. 


152  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

Life  Knox  rode  forward  in  advance  of  Milton, 
and  the  commander  of  the  squadron  promptly 
recognized  the  tall,  gaunt  form  of  the  sergeant ; 
and  his  thoughts  dwelt  upon  the  occasion  that 
had  brought  him  this  visit.  Life  approached 
the  major  to  within  a  rod  of  him,  when  he 
stopped  his  horse,  and  saluted  him  with  Ins 
usual  deference  to  his  superiors. 

"Good-morning,  Life,"  said  the  commander. 
"I  hope  no  misfortune  has  brought  you  in  this 
direction.  Are  you  escaping  from  an  enemy 
that  has  overwhelmed  the  first  company?" 

"Nothin'  of  the  sort,  Major  Lyon,"  replied 
Life,  a  broad  smile  lighting  up  his  face.  "We 
have  met  an  enemy,  and  they'd  run  away  if  we'd 
let  'em." 

This  reply  removed  the  burden  of  anxiety 
which  had  fallen  upon  the  mind  of  the  major 
when  he  discovered  the  scouts,  and  he  smiled 
in  his  placid  manner  with  the  sergeant. 

"  Where   is  your   company,   Life  ? "    he   asked. 

"I  reckon  it  ain't  more'n  half  a  mile  from 
here,"  replied  the  scout. 

"  I  suppose  you  have  news  for  me,"  continued 
the  commander. 


APPROACH   OF   ANOTHER   CAVALRY   FORCE 

"Lots  on't;  but  I  can  say  that  Captain  Gor 
don,  whether  he  is  to  meet  a  friend  or  an  enemy 
in  the  cavalry,  is  comin'  down  this  road.  I 
don't  reckon  he's  worryin'  about  it;  but  he  may 
just  be  a  bit  anxious  to  know  whether  or  not 
he  is  to  fight  you.  If  you  don't  object,  Major 
Lyon,  I'll  let  Milton  ride  back  and  tell  the 
cap'n  he  won't  have  to  fight  no  more  just  yet." 

"Send  him  at  once,  Life;"  and  in  a  minute 
more  the  other  scout  was  galloping  his  horse 
in  the  direction  of  the  hill  where  the  first  com 
pany  were  posted.  "What  have  you  been  doing, 
sergeant  ?  " 

"  The  fust  company  has  fit  into  three  scrim 
mages,  and  cleaned  out  a  gang  of  gorillas," 
replied  Life,  as  though  he  realized  that  he  had 
a  good  report  to  make  in  answer  to  the  question. 

"  You  have  been  busy ;  and  that  explains  the 
reason  why  I  did  not  find  you  at  Harrison  as 
I  expected,"  replied  the  major.  "Tell  me  all 
about  it ;  and  as  Captain  Gordon  is  not  in  need 
of  a  re-enforcement,  we  will  walk  the  horses,  and 
listen  to  your  story.  Captain  Truman,  let  the 
men  walk  the  horses." 


154  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  Company  —  attention  !  "  shouted  the  captain, 
wheeling  his  horse.  "  Walk — March !  " 

"  Place  yourself  on  the  left  of  Sergeant  Knox, 
and  listen  to  his  story." 

Life  saluted  the  captain,  who  said  he  was 
glad  to  see  him,  and  took  the  place  to  which 
he  was  assigned. 

"We  had  not  gone  two  miles  from  Columbia 
before  a  messenger  came  to  us  and  said  that 
a  cavalry  force  was  moving  down  on  Breedings," 
Life  observed.  "  The  captain  took  the  second 
platoon  under  Lieutenant  Belthorpe,  and  rushed 
over  to  Breedings.  Lieutenant  Lyon  was  ordered 
to  march  with  his  platoon  and  the  baggage- 
wagons  towards  Millersville,"  added  Life. 

"  Dexter  with  an  independent  command !  " 
exclaimed  the  young  man's  father ;  for  he  seemed 
to  regard  him  still  as  a  small  boy,  and  said  so. 

"He  was;  but  the  oldest  officer  in  the  squad 
ron  couldn't  a  done  it  no  better,"  replied  Life 
with  enthusiasm ;  and  he  proceeded  to  tell  about 
the  appearance  of  Grace  Morgan  in  the  field,  and 
gave  a  hurried  account  of  the  manner  in  which 
the  guerillas  had  been  trapped  and  captured. 


APPKOACH   OF   ANOTHER   CAVALRY   FORCE     155 

Then  came  the  battle  with  the  force  which 
had  escaped  from  Breedings,  the  march  to  Mil- 
lersville,  the  re-enforcement  of  the  Home  Guard, 
and  the  fight  at  the  hill.  The  major  asked  a 
great  many  questions,  for  the  sergeant  had  been 
obliged  to  hurry  his  narrative,  and  Life  an 
swered  them. 

As  they  approached  the  hill,  the  head  of  the 
first  company  were  marching  down  the  descent; 
for  Milton  had  reported  his  message  to  Captain 
Gordon,  who  was  a  little  startled  when  he  saw 
the  private  returning  without  the  sergeant,  fear 
ful  that  something  had  happened  to  him. 

The  news  brought  by  the  new  recruit  was  im 
mediately  circulated  through  the  company  and 
that  of  Colonel  Halliburn.  The  riflemen  were 
called  from  the  forest,  and  came  to  the  road 
mounted,  with  their  weapons  slung  on  their  backs. 
The  whole  force  was  formed  on  the  slope  of  the 
hill ;  and  when  the  second  company  marched  up 
the  declivity,  with  Major  Lyon  at  the  head  of  it, 
they  presented  arms,  and  then  indulged  in  a 
vigorous  cheer. 


156  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XII 

A    NEW    COMPANY    OF    MOUNTED    RIFLEMEN 

THE  troopers  were  dismissed  for  dinner,  and 
all  the  officers  of  the  squadron  assembled  in 
front  of  the  fanner's  house  while  their  horses 
were  fed;  and  it  was  an  interesting  occasion. 
The  skirmishes  were  gone  over  again  more  in 
detail  than  Life  had  been  able  to  give  them. 
Deck  was  required  to  report  his  affair  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Hallibum,  and  he  went  over  it  as 
minutely  as  his  father  desired. 

"It  was  very  well  managed,  my  son,"  said  the 
major,  who  was  not  especially  liberal  in  praise 
of  the  young  man  as  a  rule.  "  You  captured 
the  entire  gang  without  firing  a  gun,  though  if 
Captain  Coonly  had  conducted  his  raid  with 
even  ordinary  prudence,  it  would  have  been 
otherwise ;  but  it  is  the  business  of  a  com 
manding  officer  to  profit  by  the  blunders  of  the 
enemy." 


NEW   COMPANY   OF   MOUNTED   RIFLEMEN       157 

"It  was  very  handsomely  done,"  suggested 
Captain  Gordon. 

"  I  think  it  was  ;  but  Captain  Coonly  will  not 
be  a  great  military  commander,"  added  the  major. 
"  But  what  has  become  of  the  prisoners  cap 
tured  in  this  affair?" 

"  We  marched  them  to  Millersville,  and  turned 
them  over  to  Colonel  Halliburn,"  answered  Deck. 

"  We  quartered  them  in  a  disused  tobacco  fac 
tory  ;  and  probably  in  time  we  shall  let  them  go," 
added  the  colonel.  "  We  have  no  use  for  them ; 
and  we  can  use  our  supply  of  provisions  and 
forage  much  better  than  in  feeding  these  ruffians 
and  their  horses." 

"  I  believe  there  will  soon  be  a  change  in  the 
sentiments  of  the  people  in  this  vicinity,  or  at 
least  the  guerillas  will  find  it  advisable  to  cease 
preying  upon  their  neighbors,"  said  the  major; 
but  he  did  not  explain  in  what  manner  this 
change  would  be  brought  about.  "  How  hap 
pened  you  to  fall  into  the  fight  in  the  road 
after  you  had  brought  your  prisoners  there, 
Dexter?" 

"I  think  my  answer  to  that   question   ought 


158  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

to  come  in  after  Captain  Gordon's  report  of  the 
action  at  Breedings,"  replied  the  lieutenant. 

The  commander  of  the  first  company  reported 
in  detail  his  affair  at  the  fort. 

"Captain  Letcher,  of  the  Tennessee  cavalry, 
could  not  get  all  his  men  into  the  fort,  and  he 
stationed  a  platoon  on  a  hill  on  the  other  side 
of  the  road.  I  sent  Lieutenant  Belthorpe  to 
attack  them  on  the  hill,  while  I  assaulted  and 
carried  the  fort,  riding  the  horses  over  the  breast 
work,  and  upsetting  the  iron  cannon.  My  lieu 
tenant  defeated  the  force  on  the  hills,  and  drove 
them  across  the  country  till  the  recall  was 
sounded  for  them.  I  understand  now  that  the 
detachment  followed  the  road  towards  Millers- 
ville." 

"  They  came  down  that  road  just  as  I  reached 
it  with  my  prisoners  from  Mr.  Hallibum's  man 
sion.  He  is  the  brother  of  Colonel  Halliburn,  here 
present.  The  retreating  force  was  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Letcher,  and  he  attacked 

us  as  soon  as  we  dashed  into  the  road.     We  de- 

p 

feated  him,  with  a  loss  in  killed  and  wounded 
of  nearly  half  of  his  command.  When  Captain 


NEW   COMPANY   OF   MOUNTED   RIFLEMEN       159 

Gordon  arrived  at  the  scene  of  the  skirmish  with 
the  second  platoon,  he  paroled  the  prisoners.  In 
the  afternoon  we  marched  to  Millers ville." 

"  Who  is  the  man  that  came  over  to  the  second 
company  with  Sergeant  Knox  ?  "  asked  the  major. 
"  He  was  a  stranger  to  me ;  and  I  thought  I  knew 
every  man  in  the  squadron." 

"  His  name  is  Winfield  Milton,  of  Miltonville," 
replied  Captain  Gordon.  "My  authority  as  a  re 
cruiting-officer  is  still  in  force,  and  I  enlisted  him 
on  the  recommendation  of  Lieutenant  Lyon." 

"  He  is  very  useful  to  me  as  a  guide,  and  for 
his  knowledge  of  the  country  for  many  miles 
around  us.  He  is  the  intended  of  Grace  Mor 
gan,  who  first  informed  Life  of  what  was  going 
on  at  the  mansion  of  her  guardian,"  added  Deck. 

"  You  did  not  make  any  mistake  when  you 
enlisted  him,"  said  Colonel  Halliburn.  "I  have 
known  him  for  many  years,  and  I  will  vouch  for 
him.  When  I  say  that  he  is  worthy  of  Grace 
Morgan,  one  of  the  noblest  girls  ever  raised  in 
Kentucky,  I  say  more  than  you  can  understand." 

"  He  came  into  our  ranks  this  morning ;  and 
he  has  done  his  duty  faithfully  as  a  guide  and 


160  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

a  soldier,  and  fought  like  a  hero  in  the  action 
this  morning,"  added  the  captain  of  the  first 
company. 

"  He  ought  to  be  an  officer,  for  he  is  a  very 
intelligent  and  well-educated  man ;  and  he  will 
be  an  honor  to  the  service,"  continued  the  colonel. 

"I  have  not  yet  heard  the  particulars  of  the 
skirmish,  which  seems  by  the  looks  of  things 
about  here  to  have  swelled  to  something  like 
the  proportions  of  a  battle,"  added  Major  Lyon. 

Captain  Gordon  referred  to  the  colonel ;  and  he 
repeated  the  story  of  Squire  Walcott,  who  had 
brought  news  from  the  other  side  of  the  Cum 
berland,  and  had  informed  him  of  the  intention 
of  the  company  of  the  Tennessee  cavalry  to  move 
on  Millers ville. 

The  commander  of  the  first  company  then  mi 
nutely  related  the  details,  beginning  with  his 
order  of  battle.  The  voluntary  offer  of  his  com 
mand  by  Colonel  Halliburn  had  proved  to  be  of 
the  greatest  importance  ;  for  while  the  cavalrymen 
had  fought  like  lions,  the  burden  of  the  action 
had  fallen  on  the  riflemen  acting  as  sharpshooters 
IP  the  woods. 


NEW   COMPANY   OF   MOUNTED   KIFLEMEN      161 

"They  caused  the  enemy  to  divide  his  force  in 
the  road,  sending  half  of  them  into  the  woods. 
We  owe  a  debt  of  gratitude  to  Lieutenant  Ripley, 
the  oldest  man  in  the  line,  who  commanded  the 
riflemen  in  the  forest.  He  can  report  that  part 
of  the  action  better  than  any  other  person." 

"  I  understood  the  captain's  plan  of  action,  and 
I  did  my  best  to  carry.it  out,"  said  Lieutenant 
Ripley.  "I  had  forty-two  men  under  my  com 
mand,  and  every  one  of  them  could  split  a  rifle- 
ball  on  a  knife.  About  every  one  of  them 
dropped  his  man  in  the  road.  When  half  the 
Confederates  were  sent  into  the  woods  dismounted 
to  clean  us  out,  I  drew  them  as  far  away  from 
the  road  as  possible.  I  believed  I  could  do  the 
best  thing  for  the  captain's  plan  by  leading  half 
the  enemy  as  far  as  possible  from  any  support. 
If  I  was  wrong,  I  am  willing  to  be  forgiven,  for 
I  had  only  my  general  orders." 

"  You  did  exactly  the  right  thing,  Lieutenant 
Ripley,"  added  the  captain.  "I  waited  until  you 
had  led  them  at  least  half  a  mile,  and  then  I  or 
dered  my  two  platoons  to  advance.  They  charged 
into  the  remainder  of  the  company  in  the  road. 


162      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

The  enemy  were  tangled  up  with  the  loose  horses  ; 
and  when  the  officers  had  all  fallen,  the  force 
out  of  the  forest  surrendered." 

"  What  were  our  losses,  Captain  ? "  asked  the 
major. 

"  Three  men  killed,  and  seven  wounded ;  only 
one  of  the  riflemen  had  a  wound  of  any  conse 
quence." 

"We  fought  behind  the  trees,  and  at  long 
range,"  interposed  Lieutenant  Ripley.  "I  was 
ordered  to  do  so." 

"•Do  you  know  the  enemy's  loss,  Captain  Gor 
don?"  inquired  his  superior  officer. 

"Fifteen  killed,  or  reported  as  missing,  with 
no  doubt  that  most  of  them  were  killed  in  the 
woods,  and  twenty-one  wounded.  They  fought 
at  a  very  *  great  disadvantage,  and  the  sharp 
shooters  probably  caused  the  greater  portion  of 
their  loss." 

"I  think  I  understand  what  the  first  company 
have  been  doing  since  we  parted  company  at 
Columbia,"  said  the  major.  "  As  soon  as  you 
are  ready  we  shall  march  back  to  Jamestown.  I 
left  Harrison  very  early  this  morning.  As  I  did 


NEW  COMPANY  OF  MOUNTED   RIFLEMEN      163 

not  find  you  there,  as  I  expected,  day  before 
yesterday,  and  you  did  not  arrive  the  following 
day,  I  became  considerably  concerned,  for  your 
company  had  the  shortest  route  from  Columbia 
to  Harrison,  Captain  Gordon.  The  enemy  were 
foraging  in  all  directions  west  of  the  hills,  and 
I  was  afraid  you  had  been  overmatched  by  some 
of  them,  and  I  concluded  to  march  in  search  of 
you. 

"  When  I  reached  Jamestown  about  eight,  I 
learned  that  a  company  of  Tennessee  cavalry 
had  camped  there  over  night,  and  had  left  at 
an  early  hour  this  morning ;  but  I  have  found 
you,  and  your  delay  is  fully  explained." 

"  Have  you  met  the  enemy  on  your  way, 
Major  Lyon?"  asked  the  senior  captain. 

"  The  company  was  compelled,  about  half  a 
mile  from  Columbia,  to  deal  with  a  horde  of 
about  thirty  guerillas ;  but  their  officer  was  not 
so  stupid  as  the  one  Avith  whom  my  son  had 
to  deal,  and  they  ran  away  as  soon  as  they  saw 
us.  We  pursued  and  killed  about  a  dozen  of 
them ;  but  they  escaped  by  fording  a  swift-run 
ning  stream,  and  some  of  them  were  drowned 


164  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

there.  It  was  not  prudent  to  lose  any  of  my 
men  by  drowning;  for  that  was  not  a  proper 
death  for  a  soldier  to  die,  though  it  may  be 
just  as  creditable  to  his  conduct  as  to  fall  from 
his  horse  on  the  field. '" 

As  usual,  the  commander  of  the  squadron  kept 
his  own  counsel,  and  he  did  not  say  what  he 
intended  to  do  when  he  reached  Jamestown. 
He  had  come  down  from  Liberty  to  Harrison, 
which  was  on  the  road  to  Somerset,  where  he 
had  expected  to  join  the  other  company,  and 
wait  for  orders.  He  was  in  possession  of  the 
current  news,  so  far  as  it  had  been  divulged 
by  those  to  whom  the  army  operations  had  been 
intrusted ;  and  his  orders  were  to  halt  some 
where  in  the  vicinity  of  Somerset.  He  was 
aware  that  General  Thomas  had  been  sent  down 
with  a  considerable  force,  and  a  portion  of  it 
was  in  the  vicinity;  but  it  had  not  yet  been 
concentrated  for  the  attack  upon  the  intrenched 
camps  of  General  Crittenden  and  General  Zolli- 
coffer. 

The  Union  general  was  waiting  for  the  rest 
of  the  force  detailed  to  take  part  in  the  cam- 


NEW   COMPANY   OF   MOUNTED   RIFLEMEN      165 

paign ;  and  had  also  been  detained  by  the  con 
dition  of  the  roads,  which  rendered  it  almost 
impossible  to  move  the  baggage-wagons  and  the 
artillery.  Friday  and  Saturday  it  rained  inces 
santly  in  torrents,  and  raised  Fishing  Creek  and 
other  streams  so  that  it  was  impracticable  to 
cross  them.  The  general  had  with  him  the 
Fourth  Kentucky  Infantry,  and  a  portion  of  the 
First  Kentucky  Cavalry,  to  which  the  two  com 
panies  of  the  Rlverlawn  force  nominally  belonged, 
though  they  had  been  on  detached  duty  thus 
far  since  they  were  mustered  in. 

Thomas  had  also  with  him,  or  within  call, 
regiments  from  Ohio,  Indiana,  and  Minnesota. 
Major  Lyon  informed  his  audience  of  officers  that 
their  regiment  was  somewhere  in  the  vicinity, 
though  he  did  not  know  where  ;  but  his  officers 
had  never  seen  this  force,  and  were  not  greatly 
interested.  The  regiment  had  not  yet  been 
filled  up,  though  others  enlisted  later  had  their 
full  complement  of  men  and  companies. 

"Don't  you  think  we  had  better  enlist  another 
company  ?  "  asked  Captain  Gordon,  who  evidently 
had  in  his  head  a  big  idea. 


166  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"I  don't  know  about  that;  but  I  am  inclined 
to  think  we  had  better  leave  that  to  the  proper 
authorities,  or  to  local  leaders  where  men  are 
available,  for  we  are  away  from  Riverlawn  and 
Barcreek.  I  doubt  if  we  could  find  men  enough 
in  that  vicinity  to  form  another  company." 

"That  was  not  my  idea,"  interposed  the  cap 
tain.  "  How  many  men  have  you  in  your  com 
pany  of  Home  Guards,  Colonel  Halliburn  ? "  he 
asked  rather  abruptly,  as  he  proceeded  to  de 
velop  his  purpose. 

"I  have  sixty-two  here,  and  there  are  about 
fifty  more  from  various  parts  of  three  counties, 
many  of  whom  seldom  meet  with  us,"  replied 
the  colonel,  wondering  what  the  captain  was 
driving  at. 

"  We  have  forty-two  riflemen  here ;  are  there 
any  more  of  them  ?  " 

"As  many  more,  I  should  say." 

"  Don't  you'  think  it  is  a  great  pity  that  your 
company,  or  a  portion  of  it,  are  not  in  actual 
service  in  the  army,  where  they  are  so  much 
needed?" 

"  Well,    it   is   rather   necessary   to   have  some 


NEW   COMPANY   OF   MOUNTED   RIFLEMEN       167 

at  home  to  look  out  for  the  women  and  chil 
dren,  and  to  raise  food  for  the  army  and  the 
people,"  replied  the  colonel  with  a  smile,  as  he 
began  to  fathom  the  idea  of  the  questioner. 

"It  seems  to  me  that  Colonel  Halliburn  is 
right  in  the  main,  though  he  might  be  able  to 
spare  a  portion  of  his  men,"  added  the  major. 

"  I  might  as  well  let  it  all  out  at  once  as  do 
it  in  driblets,"  said  Captain  Gordon.  "I  should 
like  to  enlist  your  forty-two  sharpshooters  as  the 
nucleus  of  a  company  of  mounted  riflemen,  to 
be  armed  as  cavalry,  except  that  the  rifle  shall 
take  the  place  of  the  carbine,  the  men  to  serve 
mounted  or  dismounted,  as  occasion  may  require ; 
not  a  very  radical  idea,  for  cavalry  are  not  in 
frequently  called  upon  to  serve  on  foot,  as  we 
have  an  instance  this  very  day." 

"I  like  the  idea  very  much,"  returned  the 
colonel. 

"  I  will  talk  about  the  matter  with  my  rifle 
men,  and  let  you  know  what  they  think  of  it 
at  once,"  said  Ripley ;  and  he  hastened  to  his 
command,  who  were  still  eating  their  dinner. 

The  plan  was  talked  over  by  the  riflemen,  and 


168      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

Lieutenant  Ripley  heartily  approved  the  scheme, 
but  thought  that  he  might  be  too  old  to  enlist, 
though  he  was  still  a  healthy  and  vigorous 
citizen.  The  plan  was  not  entirely  new;  for 
steps  had  been  taken,  and  perhaps  successfully, 
to  organize  "  mounted  infantry  "  in  various  places, 
and  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Ripley  did  not 
essentially  differ  from  such  a  force. 


A   NIGHT    IN    A   JAIL   AT   JAMESTOWN        169 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A   NIGHT   IN   A   JAIL    AT   JAMESTOWN 

LIEUTENANT  RIPLEY  returned  from  the  con 
ference  with,  the  riflemen,  and  reported  that 
thirty  of  them  were  willing  to  enlist  in  such  an 
organization  as  that  proposed;  the  others  were 
unable  to  reply  until  they  had  been  home  to 
their  families.  The  lieutenant  was  confident 
that  he  could  raise  the  sixty  proposed  as  a  be 
ginning  within  a  reasonable  time,  and  the  colonel 
had  a  similar  confidence  in  the  patriotism  of  the 
loyal  Kentuckians  in  that  part  of  the  State. 

The  men  had  finished  their  dinners,  the  pris 
oners  had  been  paroled  with  the  approval  of 
Major  Lyon,  who  was  beginning  to  be  in  a  hurry 
to  march  back  to  Jamestown  as  soon  as  the  first 
company  had  rested  from  the  hard  work  of  the 
day;  and  there  had  been  much  more  of  it  than 
could  be  indicated  in  the  narrative  of  the  prin 
cipal  events. 


170  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

*'  I  am  sorry  that  we  cannot  take  with  us 
even  a  small  company  of  those  riflemen,  for  I 
think  they  would  be  very  useful  in  the  course 
of  a  few  days,"  said  Captain  Gordon,  after  the 
major  had  given  the  order  to  form  the  column 
for  the  march.  "  It  is  plain  to  everybody  who 
knows  anything  about  the  movements  of  the  army 
that  there  will  be  a  battle  within  a  week." 

This  statement  seemed  to  fire  the  enthusiasm 
of  the  old  lieutenant  of  the  Home  Guards,  and 
he  talked  apart  with  Colonel  Halliburn  very 
earnestly  for  some  time.  Then  he  went  over 
to  the  riflemen,  who  had  mounted  their  horses 
in  readiness  to  return  to  their  homes.  He  ap 
peared  to  have  proposed  something  to  them,  and 
in  a  few  minutes  he  hastened  back  to  the  group 
of  officers. 

"  Thirty-six  of  the  riflemen  desire  to  go  with 
you  as  temporary  volunteers  for  immediate  ser 
vice,"  said  Ripley.  "  Will  you  accept  them, 
Major  Lyon  ?  " 

"I  will,  though  I  cannot  take  them  as  a  part 
of  my  squadron,  for  our  ranks  are  now  veiy 
full,"  replied  the  commander. 


A  NIGHT   IN   A   JAIL  AT  JAMESTOWN         171 

"I  meant  to  have  them  go  as  an  addition  to 
your  force,  to  be  under  your  command,"  replied 
the  lieutenant. 

"  Of  course  there  can  be  no  objection  to  your 
going  with  us  in  this  manner,  and  you  will 
bring  up  the  rear  of  my  command,"  added 
Major  Lyon,  as  the  orderly  sergeants  reported 
that  the  companies  were  formed. 

The  officers  took  their  proper  places,  and  the 
order  to  march  was  given  to  the  captains.  Life 
Knox  and  Milton  were  again  ordered  to  scout 
the  road  and  its  adjacent  fields  in  advance.  The 
wagons  were  ready  to  fall  in  behind  the  riflemen, 
and  the  column  .moved.  The  company  officers 
kept  in  their  places,  but  the  major  went  where 
he  pleased  along  the  line.  When  the  column 
reached  the  foot  of  the  hill,  he  fell  back  to  the 
second  platoon  of  the  first  company,  where  Deck 
was  riding  on  the  left  of  the  first  section. 

"I  was  so  busy  that  I  neglected  to  ask  the 
names  of  the  men  who  were  killed  in  the  action 
where  you  met  the  enemy  on  the  road  from 
Columbia,"  said  the  major,  as  he  wheeled  his 
horse,  and  took  his  place  by  the  side  of  his  son. 


172  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

Deck  had  noticed  that  he  had  asked  no  ques 
tions  when  the  report  of  the  killed  was  given  to 
him ;  for  something  had  called  his  attention  away 
from  the  subject  at  that  moment.  The  lieuten 
ant  was  glad  to  escape  the  necessity  in  that 
presence  of  informing  his  father  of  the  death 
of  his  cousin ;  for  this  was  a  family  matter,  aside 
from  military  routine. 

"I  was  glad  you  did  not  ask  that  question 
then,"  added  Deck. 

"  I  understand  you,  Dexter ;  for  when  I  saw 
Sandy  in  the  ranks  I  looked  for  Orly  Lyon ;  but 
I  did  not  see  him.  Was  he  badly  wounded  ?  " 
inquired  the  commander. 

"  Worse  than  that,  for  he  was  killed  in  the  ac 
tion.  He  fought  bravely,  and  he  always  did  his 
duty  faithfully ;  for,  however  it  was  with  his 
father  and  his  brother,  Orly's  heart  was  in  the 
work,"  replied  Deck  with  no  little  feeling. 

The  major  was  silent  for  a  moment.  It  was 
evident  that  he  was  moved  by  the  news,  though 
lie  always  controlled  himself ;  for  the  fact  that 
his  two  sons  and  two  nephews  were  liable  at 
any  time  to  be  struck  down  in  their  youth  was 


A  NIGHT   IK  A   JAIL  AT   JAMESTOWN        173 

present  to  his  mind  when  he  had  time  to  think 
of  such  things.  Orly  was  only  sixteen,  and  he 
was  the  first  of  either  his  own  or  his  brother's 
family  to  pass  over  to  the  other  shore. 

"  I  am  more  sorry  for  his  father  and  mother 
than  for  him ;  for  he  died  in  defence  of  his 
country,  and  that  is  the  death  of  the  herd  and 
patriot.  It  will  be  a  heavy  blow  to  his  poor 
mother;  and,  unlike  her  husband,  her  heart  was 
on  the  right  side.  She  told  me  when  her  boys 
enlisted  in  the  Home  Guard,  a  Secessionist  body, 
that  it  broke  her  heart  to  have  her  sons  fight 
with  the  enemies  of  her  country,  but  that  she 
could  be  even  willing  to  have  them  sacrificed 
on  the  right  side." 

"Do  you  know  where  Uncle  Titus  is  now, 
father?"  asked  Deck. 

"  He  is  in  a  prison-camp,  the  name  of  which 
I  have  in  my  valise  in  one  of  the  wagons.  I 
shall  write  to  him  as  soon  as  I  have  time,  and 
to  your  Aunt  Meely." 

In  another  hour  the  head  of  the  column  ar 
rived  in  the  midst  of  a  pouring  rain  at  James 
town,  which  is  the  capital  of  Russell  County.  It 


174  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

was  the  17th  of  January.  It  had  been  clear 
in  the  morning;  but  the  rain  began  to  fall  not 
a  quarter  of  an  hour  before  the  column  reached 
the  town.  It  was  almost  a  deluge,  and  it  was 
likely  to  continue  into  the  night.  The  Seces 
sionist  element  was  predominant  in  the  place ; 
but  the  major  took  forcible  possession  of  a  num 
ber  of  buildings  which  would  afford  shelter  to  his 
troopers  and  their  horses. 

He  found  several  Unionists,  who  gave  him  all 
the  information  he  needed  in  regard  to  buildings, 
and  he  put  some  who  attempted  to  prevent  him 
from  occupying  the  buildings  under  arrest.  The 
county  prison  was  one  of  the  structures  occu 
pied  ;  and  the  prisoners  were  confined  in  it,  with 
troopers  enough  lodging  there  to  keep  them  in 
order. 

"  You'll  catch  fits  when  you  fall  in  with  Old 
Zollicoffer,"  said  one  of  the  prisoners,  as  Life 
Knox,  who  was  in  charge  of  the  jail,  locked  him 
into  the  cell  with  half  a  dozen  others. 

"  We  uns  '11  be  very  glad  to  see  Old  Zolly, 
and  I  reckon  we  shall  pay  him  a  visit  afore 
many  days,"  replied  the  sergeant. 


A   NIGHT   IN   A  JAIL   AT   JAMESTOWN        175 

"If  you  do,  you  uns  '11  git  wiped  out,"  added 
the  man. 

"  Mebbe  we  shall  do  the  wiping,"  said  Life, 
as  the  keeper  of  the  prison  came  up  to  him. 

"I  reckon  I  needn't  stop  here  no  longer," 
said  he.  "But  I'll  show  you  a  room  before  I 
go,  where  you  can  sleep  in  a  bed.  It's  where  I 
sleep,  though  I  hain't  got  no  prisoners  in  the 
jug  just  now.  There  ain't  much  civil  law  afloat 
around  here ;  and  a  Secesh  man  can  kill  a  Union 
man,  and  nothing  said  about  it." 

"  I'm  much  obleeged  to  you ;  and  I  consayt 
that  you  ain't  much  of  a  Secesh  yourself,"  an 
swered  Life,  as  his  conductor  unlocked  a  door 
near  the  entrance  to  the  jail. 

"I  reckon  I  ain't,"  replied  the  keeper  as  he 
led  the  way  into  the  room  and  closed  the  door 
after  him ;  "  but  it  don't  do  for  me  to  say  much 
about  it  here.  Them  fellers  you  brought  in 
here  would  hang  me  to  the  first  tree  they  found 
if  they  knowed  it." 

The  apartment  was  not  a  cell.  It  contained  a 
bed  and  some  furniture,  and  the  sergeant  thought 
he  could  be  very  comfortable  in  it  till  morning. 


176  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  Which  way  did  your  troopers  come  from, 
Sergeant  ?  "  asked  the  keeper. 

"  From  the  west.  We  left  Millersville  this 
morning,"  answered  Life. 

"  We  had  a  company  of  Cornfeds  in  town  last 
night,  and  they  started  for  Millersville  this 
mornin'.  I  reckon  you  hain't  seen  nothin'  on 
'em,  have  you  ? "  continued  the  keeper,  as  he 
seated  himself  on  the  bed  while  the  sergeant 
occupied  the  only  chair  in  the  room. 

"Cornfeds  is  good,"  laughed  Life  ;  "but  I  cal- 
'late  they  don't  get  much  of  that  sort  of  feed 
just  now." 

"  Then   I  reckon  you  hain't  seen  'em." 

"  I  reckon  that  we  uns  have  seen  'em ;  and  I 
reckon  them  Cornfeds  wish  just  now  that  we 
hadn't  seen  'em." 

"Did  you  meet  'em?  " 

"  I'll  bet  we  did,  about  five  miles  from  here ; 
and  about  one-third  on  'em  got  killed  before 
they  surrendered." 

"  Surrendered  !  "  exclaimed  the  keeper.  "  I 
thought,  when  I  heerd  'em  talk,  that  no  Corn 
feds  ever  did  anything  o'  that  sort." 


A  NIGHT  IN  A  JAIL  AT  JAMESTOWN        177 

"  They  got  badly  chawed  up,  and  they  could 
n't  help  theirselves;  that's  the  whole  on't.  Is 
there  any  news  floatin'  about  round  here?"  asked 
Life. 

"  I  reckon  there  is,  lots  on't.  If  Thomas 
ain't  already  camped  round  here  somewhere,  he 
ain't  fur  off.  They  say  he's  waiting  for  some  gen 
eral's  brigade  to  jine  'im  afore  he  goes  for  Old 
Zolly's  entrenchments,"  replied  the  keeper,  whose 
name  was  Butters,  as  the  sergeant  learned  from 
him  later. 

"I  reckon  our  major  will  find  out  where  he 
is,"  added  Life. 

"  This  town  is  about  fifteen  miles  from  Mill 
Springs ;  and  I  consayt  that  there  will  be  a  big 
ger  battle  than  we  have  had  in  these  parts,  or 
anywhere  in  the  State,  before  long.  General 
Thomas  is  sent  down  here  to  clean  out  Old 
Zolly,  and  I  reckon  he'll  do  it,"  replied  Butters. 
"I  wish  I  could  have  a  hand  in  it." 

"  So  you  kin  if  you  are  so  minded.  You  don't 
seem  to  have  nothin'  to  do  here  now.  Ever 
been  in  the  mill' try  ?  " 

"  No ;  but   I  kin  shoot  a   rifle   nigh  on  to  as 


178  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

good  as  old  Ripley  over  to  Millersville,  and  he 
can  beat  any  other  man  at  it  in  Kaintuck." 

"  Ripley  is  here  with  a  party  of  his  riflemen, 
and  I  cal'late  he'll  take  you  into  his  company  if 
you  want  to  go." 

"  Where  is  he  now  ?  I'd  like  to  see  him,  for 
I've  often  been  over  to  his  place  to  shoot  with 
him,"  said  Butters. 

"  He  bunks  in  the  jail  with  some  of  his  com 
pany." 

"  I  know  a  dozen  others  here  who  are  in  the 
same  boat  with  me ;  and  two  more  on  us  were 
hanged  a  month  ago  for  shooting  a  Cornfed  ser 
geant  for  killing  two  good  Union  men." 

"  I'll  find  Ripley  for  you,"  said  Life,  as  he  left 
the  room,  intent  upon  adding  more  men  to  the 
loyal  army. 

He  went  through  the  jail,  calling  the  name  of 
the  lieutenant  till  he  found  him,  and  then  con 
ducted  him  to  the  room  of  the  keeper.  Ripley 
gave  his  hand  to  Butters,  and  was  very  glad  to 
see  him.  The  bed  was  wide  enough  for  two,  and 
Life  invited  the  lieutenant  to  sleep  with  him. 

"No;   I  reckon  I'll  take  Lieutenant  Ripley  up 


A  NIGHT   IN    A   JAIL   AT   JAMESTOWN.        179 

to  my  house,  for  he's  an  old  friend  of  mine," 
interposed  Butters ;  "  and  he's  the  only  man  that 
can  ever  beat  me  shootin'  with  a  rifle.  I'm  ready 
to  jine  for  this  campaign  under  him." 

u  I  have  thirty-six  men  now,  serving  for  a  short 
time  till  we  get  things  settled,  and  I  should  like 
enough  to  make  up  a  hundred,"  replied  Ripley, 
as  he  left  the  prison  with  Butters. 

He  had  not  been  gone  ten  minutes  before  Lieu 
tenant  Lyon  came  in.  The  sentinel  on  duty 
showed  him  Life's  room.  The  visitor  was  wet 
to  his  bones,  as  the  French  say;  for  he  had  been 
looking  up  some  Union  men  his  father  wished 
to  see,  and  he  had  brought  them  to  the  hotel 
where  the  officers  were  quartered.  One  of  them 
was  a  captain,  and  another  was  his  host  in  the 
town;  and  the  major  had  been  directed  to  report 
to  the  former. 

Deck  had  been  sent  out  to  find  him;  for  it 
was  reported  that  he  was  in  Jamestown,  and  not 
in  Harrison,  where  he  had  expected  to  find  him, 
but  had  not.  His  room  had  been  taken  from  him 
for  this  officer,  as  he  was  the  lowest  in  rank  of 
any  commissioned  officer.  His  father  had  sent 


180      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

him  out  with  directions  to  take  a  couple  of  men 
from  the  quarters  of  Lieutenant  Belthorpe,  who 
was  the  officer  of  the  day,  and  find  a  room  where 
he  could  in  the  town.  But  he  knew  that  Life 
Knox  was  in  command  at  the  jail,  and  he  pre 
ferred  to  go  there. 

"  You  are  wet  to  the  skin,  Lef tenant !  "  ex 
claimed  the  sergeant,  as  he  admitted  him  to  the 
room. 

"Not  the  first  time  I  have  been  so  since  we 
left  Riverlawn,"  replied  Deck.  "  You  have  got 
a  good  room  here,  Life." 

"  Good  enough ;  but  I  cal'late  to  camp  on  the 
floor,  and  give  this  bed  to  you,  Leftenant." 

"  Not  at  all,  Life  ;  the  bed  is  big  enough  for 
both  of  us.  I  am  not  afraid  to  sleep  with  you, 
if  you  are  not  with  me." 

"'Tain't  quite  reg'lar;  but  it's  just  as  you 
say,  Leftenant." 

There  was  a  fireplace  in  the  room,  and  a  pile 
of  wood  in  the  corner ;  and  the  sergeant  went  to 
work  at  once  to  build  a  fire  to  dry  his  officer. 
There  was  plenty  of  light  wood,  full  of  pitch,  in 
the  pile ;  and  hi  a  few  minutes  a  roaring  fire  was 


A  NIGHT   IN   A  JAIL   AT   JAMESTOWN         181 

blazing  on  the  hearth.  Without  asking  any  ques 
tions  he  proceeded  to  remove  Deck's  coat,  and 
assisted  him  to  take  off  the  rest  of  his  clothes, 
which  had  not  been  done  before  except  when  he 
took  his  baths  in  the  streams. 

"  Now  jump  into  bed,  Leftenant ;  give  me 
your  shirt,  and  I  will  dry  the  whole  of  your 
duds.  The  room  is  warm  now." 

Deck  had  been  so  chilled  by  the  rain  that  he 
was  glad  to  comply  with  the  sergeant's  requests. 
Life  placed  the  nether  garments  on  the  chair 
before  the  fire,  and  then  moved  up  a  light  table, 
stretching  his  sabre  from  one  to  the  other  to  form 
a  clothes-horse.  At  midnight  he  waked  his  offi 
cer  to  have  him  put  on  the  dry  shirt,  for  Deck 
in  the  bed  had  slept  like  a  tired  boy.  After  a 
look  through  the  corridors  of  the  prison,  Life 
went  to  bed  himself. 


182      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER  XIV 

THE   AIDE-DE-CAMP   OF   THE   GENERAL 

WHEN  Life  Knox  left  his  bed  at  an  early 
hour  on  the  morning  of  the  18th,  Deck  was  still 
sleeping,  for  no  bugle  had  sounded  to  wake  him. 
The  rain  was  still  pouring  in  torrents  when  the 
sergeant  looked  out  of  the  window ;  and  it  was 
not  probable  that  any  military  movements  would 
be  made  that  day.  Breakfast  was  served  as 
usual,  the  cooks  having  taken  possession  of  an 
old  tobacco  dry-house  the  night  before. 

About  nine  o'clock,  after  Deck  had  gone  to 
the  hotel  where  the  officers  were  quartered,  But 
ters,  Lieutenant  Ripley,  and  about  twenty  more, 
marched  into  the  jail.  The  keeper  had  been  rid 
ing  nearly  all  night,  and  had  secured  this  num 
ber  of  riflemen,  though  he  had  been  obliged  to 
seek  them,  in  part,  miles  distant  from  the  town. 
They  came  with  rifles  and  belts,  with  powder  and 
ball  in  horns  and  pouches,  as  those  from  Millers- 


THE   AIDE-DE-CAMP   OF   THE   GENERAL       183 

ville  had  appeared.  They  were  ready  for  duty, 
and  Butters  declared  that  every  one  of  them  could 
shoot  very  well  with  the  rifles  they  had  used  in 
their  practice. 

They  were  introduced  by  Lieutenant  Ripley 
to  the  members  of  his  command  lodged  in  the 
building,  and  they  fraternized  like  brothers;  for 
the  ability  to  use  the  rifle  with  skill  and  precis 
ion  seemed  to  be  the  bond  which  united  them. 
The  lieutenant  of  the  sharpshooters  now  had  fifty- 
six  men  in  his  company.  When  Captain  Gordon 
called  at  the  prison,  he  promoted  Ripley  to  the 
rank  of  captain,  and  made  Butters,  who  was  the 
second-best  shot  in  the  corps,  lieutenant,  though 
he  could  not  give  them  commissions.  They  were 
then  marched  to  the  tobacco  dry-house,  only  a 
small  portion  of  which  the  cooks  used,  and 
drilled  by  the  new  captain. 

At  the  hotel,  Major  Lyon  and  Captain  Wood 
bine,  an  aide-de-camp  of  the  commanding  gen 
eral,  who  had  been  sent  to  Harrison  on  account 
of  his  intimate  knowledge  of  this  locality,  and 
was  a  man  of  influence  in  a  neighboring  county, 
were  discussing  the  situation.  Deck  had  found 


184      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

him,  after  no  little  difficulty,  at  the  house  of 
one  of  his  friends,  and  reported  to  him  the  ar 
rival  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry,  re-enforced  by 
a  company  of  volunteer  sharpshooters  from 
Adair  County,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Ripley. 

"  Ripley  is  an  old  man,  isn't  he  ? "  asked 
Captain  Woodbine. 

"  Sixty,  I  heard  some  one  say,  Captain ;  but 
I  can  assure  you  he  is  a  very  able  officer,"  re 
plied  Deck. 

"I  dare  say  he  is,  for  I  know  him  well. 
Now  will  you  introduce  yourself,  Lieutenant?" 
said  the  aide-de-camp  with  a  smile,  as  he  looked 
over  the  wet  form  of  the  visitor. 

"My  name  is  Dexter  Lyon,  Captain." 

"Any  relation  to  the  commander  of  your 
squadron  ?  " 

"  His  son ;  but  I  was  promoted  from  the 
ranks  on  the  petition  of  every  member  of  the 
first  company,  and  all  the  officers  of  the  squad 
ron  except  my  father,"  replied  Deck ;  and  there 
was  a  blush  on  his  wet  cheeks,  for  he  feared 
that  the  military  official  would  conclude  that  he 


THE   AIDE-DE-CAMP   OF   THE   GENERAL        185 

had  been  raised  to  his  present  rank  by  the  in 
fluence  of  his  father. 

"A  very  commendable  delicacy  on  the  part  of 
Major  Lyon,  but  not  always  manifested  in  such 
cases,"  added  the  captain.  "  I  heard  that  one 
company  of  Major  Lyon's  squadron  had  arrived 
at  Harrison,  and  that  the  other  was  coming  by 
the  way  of  Jamestown.  Your  company  was 
late,  and  the  major  went  in  search  of  it." 

"  We  had  several  skirmishes  with  guerillas  and 
foraging  parties  of  the  enemy,  which  delayed  us." 

"Tell  me  about  them,"  added  Captain  Wood 
bine,  whose  curiosity  was  aroused;  and  he  kept 
his  eyes  very  steadily  on  the  young  lieutenant. 

As  modestly  as  he  could,  he  related  the 
events  on  the  march  of  the  first  company,  tak 
ing  care  to  call  his  command  the  "second  pla 
toon."  The  affair  at  the  house  of  Mr.  Halliburn 
was  mentioned;  and  the  manner  in  which  the 
guerillas  had  been  bagged  excited  the  attention 
of  the  officer,  and  he  asked  then  who  com 
manded  the  second  platoon. 

"I  did,  Captain,"  replied  Deck,  looking  on 
the  floor  of  the  parlor. 


186  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"It  was  very  adroitly  done,  and  you  exhibited 
very  good  strategy."  Deck  bowed,  and  went  on 
with  his  narrative.  The  fight  in  the  road  was 
then  mentioned,  with  its  result  only. 

"  This  was  the  same  force  that  captured  the 
brigands,  and  brought  them  as  prisoners  down 
to  the  road,  was  it  ?  " 

"The  same,  Captain." 

"  And  you  commanded  it  in  the  action  that  fol 
lowed?" 

"  I  did,  Captain,"  replied  Deck,  looking  at  the 
ceiling  of  the  room. 

The  battle  of  that  day  on  the  hill  was  then 
described;  but  in  this  narration  he  contrived  to 
keep  himself  in  the  shade.  He  gave  the  most 
of  the  credit  for  the  victory  to  the  riflemen  in 
the  woods,  though  he  did  not  omit  to  credit 
Captain  Gordon  for  his  plan  of  battle. 

"Where  are  these  sharpshooters  now?  They 
appear  to  have  been  a  very  useful  body  of 
men,"  inquired  the  aide-de-camp. 

"Part  of  them  returned  to  Millersville,  where 
they  belong,  though  thirty-six  of  them  have 
volunteered  to  go  with  us  for  the  present 


THE   AIDE-DE-CAMP    OF    THE    GENERAL      187 

campaign,  under  the  command  of  Captain 
Ripley." 

"I  must  see  Ripley,"  mused  the  official. 

"  He  is  at  the  jail  with  his  men,  or  he  went 
there  with  them,"  added  Deck. 

"  Our  carriage  is  ready,"  said  Captain  Wood 
bine  ;  "and  there  is  room  enough  in  it  for  you." 

It  was  a  covered  road-wagon,  and  Deck  judged 
that  the  captain  had  talked  with  him  to  pass 
away  the  time  while  he  was  waiting  for  the  con 
veyance.  They  were  driven  first  to  the  hotel. 

"  I  have  heard  a  great  deal  about  the  River- 
lawn  Cavalry,  as  you  call  them,  though  its  two 
companies  belong  to  the  first  cavalry  regiment," 
said  the  captain  when  they  were  seated  in  the 
vehicle. 

"  Our  men  like  the  name,"  added  the  young 
lieutenant. 

"They  have  rendered  most  excellent  service 
under  that  name  ;  and  there  is  nothing  to  pre 
vent  them  from  retaining  it,  especially  while 
they  are  on  detached  service." 

Captain  Woodbine  was  conducted  by  Major 
Lyon  to  the  parlor  occupied  by  the  officers, 


188  A    LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

where  he  was  presented  to  them,  after  which 
the  major,  who  was  disposed  to  keep  his  affaire 
to  himself,  invited  the  aide-de-camp  to  go  with 
him  to  his  room,  where  he  had  ordered  a  fire. 

"Lieutenant  Lyon,  you  must  excuse  me  for 
questioning  you  so  much  this  evening;  but  I 
wanted  to  know  more  about  you,  for  I  think 
we  shall  have  use  for  you,"  said  the  captain, 
as  he  took  the  hand  of  Deck,  and  drew  him 
aside. 

"I  was  very  glad  to  give  you  the  informa 
tion  you  desired,"  replied  Deck,  as  the  visitor 
followed  his  father. 

"I  have  to  report  the  arrival  of  my  com 
mand,  and  it  is  my  purpose  to  move  on  to 
Harrison  to-morrow,"  said  the  major  as  they 
entered  the  room. 

"You  need  not  do  that,  for  your  command  is 
nearer  now  where  you  will  be  wanted  than  you 
would  be  at  Harrison,"  added  the  captain  as  he 
and  the  major  seated  themselves  at  a  table  be 
fore  the  fire.  "I  waited  for  you  till  the  time 
you  were  expected  to  arrive." 

"I  was  ordered  to  look  out  for  foragers  and 


THE   AIDE-DE-CAMP   OF    THE    GENERAL      189 

guerillas  on  my  way;  and  I  was  detained  some 
time  near  Liberty,  in  driving  off  a  party  of  ma 
rauders,  and  I  was  a  few  hours  late.  My  first 
company,  which  had  the  shorter  route,  had  not 
arrived,  and  I  marched  in  search  of  it,"  Major 
Lyon  explained.  "I  found  it  about  five  miles 
from  this  town,  delayed  by  several  skirmishes 
with  the  enemy." 

"  Your  son  told  me  all  about  them  while  we 
were  waiting  for  the  vehicle ;  and  he  certainly 
distinguished  himself,  both  by  his  management  of 
the  affair  with  the  guerillas,  and  by  his  bravery 
in  the  action  with  the  enemy's  cavalry,"  said 
Captain  Woodbine. 

"  He  did  very  well,"  replied  the  major,  proud 
of  the  good  conduct  of  Deck,  though  he  was 
not  inclined  to  praise  him,  preferring  to  leave 
that  to  others.  "I  suppose  the  army  which  is 
to  operate  under  General  Thomas  is  somewhere 
in  this  vicinity." 

"A  portion  of  it  is  at  Logan's  Cross  Roads, 
as  it  is  called;"  and  he  pointed  out  the  locality 
on  the  major's  map,  which  was  spread  out  on 
the  table. 


190  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

He  indicated  several  other  places  where  bodies 
of  Union  troops  were,  or  were  supposed  to  be, 
located.  They  had  been  detained  by  the  almost 
impassable  condition  of  the  roads. 

"But  the  general  will  attack  the  enemy  in 
his  intrenchments  as  soon  as  he  can  concentrate 
a  sufficient  force  for  the  purpose.  This  heavy 
rain,  I  fear,  will  delay  the  advance  of  the  troops 
in  the  rear;  for  it  will  render  the  streams,  es 
pecially  Fishing  Creek,  impassable  for  the  bag 
gage-trains." 

"It  does  not  usually  rain  as  it  does  now 
for  any  great  length  of  time  ?  "  suggested  Major 
Lyon. 

"I  have  known  such  a  rain  to  continue  for 
several  days ;  for  I  live  over  in  Whitley  County, 
in  the  mountains,  about  thirty-five  miles  east 
of  Mill  Springs." 

"The  mountains  catch  the  clouds,  and  empty 
them,  as  they  move  from  the  east  or  the  west," 
added  the  major. 

"We  have  plenty  of  rain  at  this  season  of 
the  year.  I  have  heard  all  about  the  Riverlawn 
Cavalry,  as  your  son  says  you  prefer  to  call 


THE    AIDE-DE-CAMP  OF    THE    GENERAL      191 

it.  I  met  Colonel  Cosgrove  at  Louisville,  and 
he  gave  me  a  full  account  of  what  he  called 
the  Battle  of  Riverlawn.  Of  your  fights  with 
the  Texan  Rangers  at  the  railroad  bridge,  Mun- 
fordsville,  and  at  Greeltop  and  Plain  Hill,  I 
have  read  your  reports.  Without  mentioning 
the  nature  of  the  service  that  will  be  required 
of  you,  I  will  say  that,  at  my  suggestion,  the 
general  has  important  duty  for  you,  Major." 

"  Of  course  I  am  ready  to  obey  the  orders 
that  come  to  me,"  replied  the  commander. 

For  several  hours  longer  Captain  Woodbine  de 
scribed  the  topography  of  the  region  in  three 
counties,  which  he  thought  it  very  necessary  for 
him  to  understand. 

"In  our  engagement  with  a  full  company  of 
Tennessee  cavalry,  our  first  company  was  aided 
by  the  Home  Guard  of  Millersville ;  and  the 
riflemen  of  this  body  rendered  very  essential 
service  as  sharpshooters  stationed  in  the  woods. 
These  men  volunteered  to  serve  in  this  cam 
paign,  and  we  have  them  with  us.  I  hope  I 
shall  be  permitted  to  make  use  of  them.  They 
are  well  mounted,  and  every  one  of  them  is  a 


192  A   LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

dead  shot.  Captain  Gordon,  commanding  our 
first  company,  suggested  the  idea  of  organizing  a 
force  of  mounted  riflemen,  and  a  considerable  num 
ber  of  them  volunteered,  and  came  to  James 
town  with  us." 

"  They  are  simply  volunteers  under  your 
command;  and  no  application  need  be  made  at 
headquarters  to  use  them,  and  you  can  do  so, 
Major,"  replied  the  captain,  who  was  understood 
as  speaking  for  the  commanding  general ;  and  it 
was  evident  that  he  had  influence  with  him. 

At  the  stroke  of  midnight  both  of  the  gentle 
men  retired.  When  they  looked  out  of  the  win 
dow  in  the  morning  it  was  still  raining;  and  it 
was  plain  to  them  that  no  great  progress  could  be 
made  in  military  movements  while  the  country  was 
inundated,  as  it  appeared  to  be  from  the  hotel. 

In  the  forenoon  Captain  Woodbine  visited  the 
companies,  and  looked  over  the  men ;  for  he 
plainly  depended  upon  the  squadron  for  particu 
lar  service.  He  went  to  the  jail  and  to  the 
dry-house  to  see  the  riflemen  who  were  drilling 
there  under  the  eye  of  Captain  Ripley  and  sev 
eral  sergeants  from  the  companies. 


THE    AIDE-DE-CAMP   OF   THE    GENERAL      193 

Military  movements  on  the  eve  of  battle  are 
not  ordinarily  impeded  by  rain,  for  the  soldiers 
march  and  fight  in  spite  of  the  weather;  but 
when  the  flow  of  water  is  sufficient  to  inundate 
the  country,  the  situation  sometimes  compels  a 
suspension  of  activity,  owing  to  the  difficulty 
or  impossibility  of  moving  wagons  and  artillery. 
But  at  this  time  General  Thomas  was  awaiting 
the  arrival  of  the  regiments  from  points  farther 
north  of  his  camp  at  Logan's  Cross  Roads,  and 
nothing  could  be  done  for  this  reason.  But  on 
the  18th  the  rain  ceased ;  and  on  the  next  day, 
which  was  Saturday,  General  Schoepf  s  brigade, 
a  portion  of  which  had  been  sent  forward  be 
fore,  arrived  towards  night,  and  was  placed  in 
position. 

That  evening  Captain  Woodbine,  who  had  been 
with  the  general  in  command  all  day,  called  upon 
Major  Lyon,  and  directed  him  to  have  his  squad 
ron,  with  its  volunteer  riflemen,  in  column  on 
the  Millersville  Road  at  daylight  in  the  morn 
ing  of  Sunday,  for  a  reconnaissance  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  enemy's  intrenched  camp  at  Beech 
Grove.  The  major  reported  that  the  rifle  vol- 


194      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

unteers  had  been  re-enforced  to  fifty-six  men  by 
the  efforts  of  Butters  the  jailer. 

The  commander  of  the  squadron  promptly  is 
sued  his  orders  to  his  officers  to  have  his  men 
ready  to  move  at  four  o'clock  Sunday  morning. 


ATTEMPTED    ESCAPE    OF    A   WAGON-TRAIN      195 


CHAPTER   XV 

THE  ATTEMPTED    ESCAPE    OF   A   WAGON-TKAIN 

THE  details  of  the  battle  of  Mill  Springs,  as 
it  was  generally  called  when  the  accounts  of  it 
were  published  at  the  time,  or,  more  properly, 
Logan's  Cross  Roads,  as  General  Thomas  called 
it  in  his  report  to  the  chief  of  staff  of  the  De 
partment  of  the  Ohio,  are  too  voluminous  to  be 
given  at  length;  and  they  have  been  published 
so  many  times  in  various  works  that  it  is  unne 
cessary  to  repeat  them.  Only  such  parts  as  relate 
to  the  career  of  the  "  lieutenant  at  eighteen " 
will  be  introduced,  though  incidentally  some  of 
the  movements  of  the  army  will  be  included. 

The  general  in  his  report  says :  "I  reached 
Logan's  Cross  Roads,  about  ten  miles  north  of 
the  intrenched  camp  of  the  enemy,  on  the  Cum 
berland  River,  on  the  17th  instant."  On  the 
night  of  his  arrival  he  sent  a  messenger  to 
Colonel  Stedman's  camp,  ordering  him  to  send 


196  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

forward  a  long  train  of  wagons,  that  had  halted 
in  the  road  from  the  river,  under  a  strong  guard, 
and  himself  to  attack  the  enemy  where  they 
were  reported  to  be. 

This  train  had  not  arrived  at  the  headquarters 
of  the  general ;  but  the  reason  for  its  non-arrival 
was  apparent,  for  the  rain  had  begun  to  fall  in 
torrents  on  the  afternoon  of  the  17th,  and  had 
continued  to  pour  down  for  two  days.  The 
road  was  inundated,  and  the  creeks  were  im 
passable.  On  Saturday  morning  at  an  early 
hour  the  pickets  of  Wolford's  cavalry  encoun 
tered  the  enemy  advancing  upon  the  Union  forces. 
The  Confederates  were  held  in  check  until 
General  Thomas  could  order  a  force  forward 
adequate  to  give  them  battle.  This  was  the 
beginning  of  the  battle  of  Mill  Springs. 

The  general's  camp  was  on  the  left  of  the 
pike  from  the  river.  The  Fourth  Kentucky, 
Second  Minnesota,  and  Ninth  Ohio  were  sent 
forward  to  hold  the  enemy,  and  took  positions 
near  Logan's  house,  while  Wetmore's  Battery 
was  placed  near  the  Somerset  Road.  The  Con 
federates  advanced  on  the  other  side,  almost  to 


ATTEMPTED    ESCAPE    OF    A    WAGON-TRAIN     197 

this  road.  Three  regiments  and  a  battery  had 
moved  forward  to  the  north  side  of  a  fence 
which  extended  east  and  west  on  both  sides  of 
the  pike. 

General  Crittenden,  commanding  the  army, 
with  his  staff,  had  a  position  just  south  of  this 
fence,  though  Zollicoffer  led  the  attacking  bri 
gades.  General  Thomas  immediately  ordered  an 
advance  of  his  whole  force,  and  the  fighting  be 
came  general.  It  was  a  long  and  severe  battle, 
with  alternate  repulses  and  advances  on  both 
sides.  The  enemy  finally  retreated  to  their  in- 
trenchments,  ten  miles  distant,  but  did  not  reach 
their  works  till  after  dark.  As  the  enemy  were 
marching  to  the  attack,  the  wagon-train  had  been 
discovered  mired  in  a  field  to  which  its  escort 
had  been  driven  by  the  unexpected  approach  of 
the  Confederates. 

It  was  a  long  train,  and  must  be  loaded  with 
provisions,  forage,  and  ammunition.  The  fam 
ished  Southern  soldiers,  who  had  nothing  but  dry 
bread,  and  that  in  small  quantities,  cast  longing 
eyes  at  the  mired  wagons ;  and  a  company  of 
Tennessee  cavalry  was  sent  to  capture  them. 


198      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

They  were  about  a  mile  distant,  and  were  mov 
ing  a  rod  or  two,  in  fits  and  starts,  at  a  time, 
towards  the  Jamestown  Road,  with  the  escort  at 
the  wheels  lifting  them  out  of  the  soft  soil.  The 
guard  was  commanded  by  a  Minnesota  lieuten 
ant;  and  he  had  kept  pickets  out  in  the  rear, 
who  had  given  him  early  notice  of  the  approach 
of  the  enemy. 

If  the  train  continued  on  the  pike,  it  was  sure 
to  be  captured;  but  the  officer  in  command  de 
termined  to  make  the  attempt  to  escape  with 
his  wagons,  and  with  infinite  labor  and  exer 
tion  he  had  made  a  mile  on  his  way  to  the 
road.  He  was  certainly  a  plucky  fellow;  but 
he  could  not  fight  a  whole  brigade  of  infantry 
with  two  companies  of  cavalry.  He  had,  there 
fore,  taken  his  chance  of  reaching  the  James 
town  Road,  and  fortunately  he  had  posted  himself 
on  the  roads  and  distances  of  the  locality. 

The  Riverlawn  Cavalry,  with  its  riflemen,  were 
in  the  road  some  time  before  Captain  Wood 
bine,  mounted  on  a  magnificent  steed,  arrived 
at  the  place  of  rendezvous.  The  company  were 
at  ease,  and  the  aide-de-camp  of  the  general  rode 


ATTEMPTED    ESCAPE    OF    A   WAGON-TRAIN      199 

directly  to  the  head  of  the  column  and  saluted 
the  major. 

"  I  may  say  now  that  this  was  to  be  a  recon 
naissance  in  force,  though  your  command  is  all 
the  general  can  send  for  the  purpose,"  said  the 
captain.  "But  I  have  heard  of  the  advance  of 
the  enemy,  and  it  may  not  be  necessary  to  feel 
of  them;  so  you  may  send  out  the  platoon  un 
der  the  command  of  Lieutenant  Lyon,  in  whom 
the  captain  appears  to  have  unlimited  confi 
dence,  by  a  road  I  will  point  out  to  you,  to 
reconnoitre  in  the  direction  of  the  pike,  on  which 
and  the  road  to  Somerset  the  general  is  en 
camped." 

"Do  you  expect  this  force  will  find  an  enemy 
in  that  direction?"  asked  the  major. 

"I  do  not,  though  it  is  possible.  That  heavy 
baggage-train  must  have  moved  to  the  north  by 
the  pike,  if  it  has  not  been  captured  before  this 
time.  If  Lieutenant  Lyon  should  discover  the  es 
cort,  he  will  re-enforce  it,  sending  back  a  mes 
senger  to  you,  Major.  If  not  too  late,  it  is 
of  vital  importance  that  this  train  be  saved,  for 
the  general  says  it  has  rations  enough  in  its 


200  A    L/EUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

wagons  to  feed  the  Confederate  army  for  a  week 
at  least,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  How  far  is  it  to  the  pike  ? "  inquired  the 
major. 

"  It  is  about  five  miles ;  and  till  the  platoon 
comes  to  a  piece  of  wood,  the  lieutenant  will 
have  a  tolerable  road,  and  through  the  forest, 
which  is  over  a  half  a  mile  across." 

"  How  far  is  it  to  the  woods  ? " 

"  Two  miles,  more  or  less.  You  had  better 
send  two  scouts  out  in  advance  of  the  platoon, 
and  do  so  at  once,"  added  the  captain;  and  the 
major  regarded  his  requests  as  orders  coming 
directly  from  the  general. 

"Send  Sergeant  Knox  and  Private  Milton  to 
me,"  said  Major  Lyon,  at  the  suggestion  of  Cap* 
tain  Gordon,  to  Artie,  his  orderly.  "I  think 
Milton  knows  all  about  the  country  in  this 
^icinity." 

"So  much  the  better,"  replied  the  aide-de 
camp,  as  the  two  scouts  saluted  the  major. 
"  Milton, ,  are  you  acquainted  about  here  ?  " 

"As  well  as  in  the  dooryard  of  my  father's 
house  in  Miltonville.  I  have  been  to  Fishing 


ATTEMPTED    ESCAPE    OF    A    WAGON-TRAIN      201 

Creek  as  man  and  boy,  and  fished  it  for  its 
whole  length,"  replied  the  new  recruit. 

"Do  you  know  the  road  across  the  country  to 
the  Danville  Pike?  It  is  nothing  but  a  by-path 
to  the  woods." 

"I  know  it  very  well,  for  I  have  ridden  my 
horse  over  it  fifty  times,"  answered  Milton. 

"  He  will  do,  Major.     Send  them  off  at  once." 

"  Excuse  me  for  a  suggestion.  I  think  Lieu 
tenant  Lyon  will  do  better  if  he  has  about  half 
of  our  riflemen  with  him,"  interposed  Captain 
Gordon,  when  the  two  scouts  had  galloped  up 
the  road  on  their  mission. 

"That  is  a  good  idea,"  added  the  captain. 

"  Rather  too  many  men  for  a  young  man  to 
command,"  said  Deck's  father,  shaking  his  head. 

"  He  is  the  best  officer  in  the  squadron  for  this 
duty,"  persisted  the  captain  of  the  first  company. 

Major  Lyon  yielded  the  point,  for  the  aide-de 
camp  had  practically  ordered  Deck  to  the  com 
mand  of  the  expedition.  The  lieutenant  marched 
his  platoon  ahead  of  the  column,  while  Captain 
Ripley  detailed  thirty  of  his  men,  under  the  com 
mand  of  Lieutenant  Butters,  to  which  position  the 


202  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

jailer  had  been  elected  by  the  company.  Life 
Knox  galloped  furiously  in  advance  of  Milton  for 
half  a  mile,  till  the  latter  called  to  him  to  halt. 

"Here  is  the  road  across  the  country,"  shouted 
the  recruit. 

There  was  a  fence  across  the  entrance,  which 
Milton  removed  without  dismounting,  for  it  con 
sisted  of  only  two  rails,  within  his  reach.  Life 
rode  through  the  opening,  and  started  his  horse 
into  a  gallop  again.  The  subsoil  was  of  gravel, 
with  a  thin  coating  of  loam  on  it,  not  more  than 
three  inches  deep,  so  that  the  animals  had  a  good 
footing. 

"Are  we  uns  in  a  hurry?"  asked  Life,  turn 
ing  his  head  back  to  see  his  fellow  scout. 

"  I  should  say  so,"  replied  Milton ;  "  for  the 
wagon-train  may  be  captured  before  we  come  up 
with  it  if  we  delay,  though  we  don't  know  that 
it  is  in  any  danger ;  but  the  pike  must  be 
crowded  with  the  enemy  hurrying  on  to  the  at 
tack  of  General  Thomas's  force." 

"  Then  I  reckon  we  had  better  keep  the  bosses' 
legs  moving  lively,"  replied  Life,  as  he  hurried 
his  steed  to  his  best  paces. 


ATTEMPTED   ESCAPE   OF   A   WAGON-TRAIN      203 

They  soon  reached  the  forest,  which  extended 
from  one  of  greater  extent  on  the  other  side  of 
the  pike,  though  the  scouts  passed  through  only 
a  projecting  corner  of  it.  Beyond  the  end  of  the, 
by-road,  Milton  explained,  was  a  portion  of  low 
ground,  through  which  ran  a  small  stream.  It 
was  in  this  soft  place  that  the  wagon-train  had 
mired.  But  it  had  advanced  a  mile  from  the 
pike ;  and  Milton  declared  that  it  was  moving  by 
the  longest  way  to  hard  ground,  the  shortest  be 
ing  to  the  road  they  had  used  for  two  miles  and 
a  half. 

"  There  they  be  !  "  exclaimed  Life  ;  and  he 
reined  in  his  foaming  steed  to  take  a  survey  of 
the  surroundings. 

"  That  escort  is  having  a  hard  time  of  it," 
added  Milton. 

"  Thunder  and  lightning-bugs  !  "  suddenly  ex 
claimed  the  sergeant.  "  There's  a  whole  com 
pany  of  Cornfed  cavalry  after  'em." 

"But  they  are  having  as  hard  a  time  of  it  as 
the  escort  of  the  wagons,  for  their  horses  mire 
above  their  knees,"  added  Milton.  "  But  they  are 
getting  ahead  very  slowly  in  spite  of  the  soft  soil,' 


204  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  But  whar  be  them  Cornfeds  gwme  ?  "  asked 
Life,  who  seemed  to  be  enamored  of  the  name  into 
which  Butters  had  tortured  the  word.  "They 
.ain't  gwine  the  shortest  way  to  the  wagon- 
train." 

"  They  are  not ;  and  I  don't  understand  their 
game,"  answered  Milton. 

Suddenly,  at  an  order  from  the  commander  of 
the  company,  the  "  Cornfeds "  dismounted,  and 
proceeded  to  lead  their  horses  ;  but  the  animals 
still  sank  deep  in  the  mud,  even  without  the 
weight  of  their  riders. 

"  Whar's  that  stream  you  spoke  on,  Milton  ? " 
asked  Life,  as  he  continued  to  study  the  situation. 

"  Over  to  the  left  of  you,  and  I've  often  fished 
it." 

"  I  see  it ;   how  fur  is  it  from  that  company  ?  " 

"  Not  more  than  a  hundred  rods  from  the  head 
of  the  column." 

"  Is  the  bottom  of  the  brook  mud  ?  " 

"  Not  a  bit  of  it.  It  is  hard  gravel  below  the 
top  soil  of  mud." 

"  Then  I  reckon  I  know  what  them  fellers 
are  driving  at,"  said  Life,  apparently  pleased  with 


ATTEMPTED   ESCAPE   OF   A   WAGON-TRAIN      205 

his  solution  of  the  question.  "  How  deep  is  the 
water  ?  " 

"  From  one  to  three  feet,  I  should  say." 

"  That's  the  idee !  Them  fellers  is  gwine  to 
take  to  the  stream,"  said  Life.  "  How  wide  is 
it?" 

"From  twenty  to  thirty  feet  in  different 
places." 

"  Then  it  is  wide  enough  for  them  to  march 
in  column  of  fours." 

Life  dismounted,  and  climbed  a  tree,  which 
afforded  him  a  view  of  the  winding  stream.  It 
passed  within  twenty  rods  of  the  mired  wagons, 
and  probably  the  mud  was  not  so  deep  nearer 

• 

the  woods  as  it  was  farther  from  it.  Leading 
their  horses,  the  company  got  along  faster  than 
before,  but  still  had  some  distance  to  go  before 
they  reached  the  stream.  The  escort  of  the  train 
seemed  to  be  discouraged  at  the  prospect  before 
them;  though  they  still  worked  hard  at  the 
wheels,  and  their  progress  seemed  to  be  slower 
than  when  first  seen. 

"I  reckon  we  shall  have  a  fight  on  this  med- 
der,  Milton,  and  you  must  ride  back  and  report 


206  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

to  the  leftenant,"  said  Life  as  he  descended  from 
the  tree.  "Them  half-starved  Cornfeds  won't 
give  it  up;  for  a  dozen  or  more  wagins,  loaded 
with  rations,  is  a  prize  to  them,  to  say  nothin' 
of  the  army  in  which  they  train.  Your  horse 
is  well  rested  now,  and  you  must  make  the 
gravel  fly  on  your  way  to  the  road;  for  I  reckon 
the  re-enforcements  will  be  needed  as  soon  as 
they  can  get  here." 

"All  right,  Sergeant;  I  will  make  the  dis 
tance  as  fast  as  we  did  coming,"  replied  Milton 
as  he  started  his  horse,  and  immediately  hurried 
him  to  a  gallop. 

Life  Knox  ascended  the  tree  again,  seated 
himself  on  a  branch,  and  proceeded  to  watch 
the  "Cornfeds."  In  about  ten  minutes  more 
they  reached  the  stream ;  but  they  had  some 
difficulty  in  making  their  horses  go  down  the 
steep  bank,  for  the  animals  were  evidently  dis 
gusted  with  their  experience  in  the  soft  soil. 
The  troopers  stamped  down  the  sods;  and  after 
making  an  inclined  plane  to  the  water,  they  rode 
down  into  the  flowing  current.  The  horses,  per 
haps  concluding  that  they  had  made  this  move- 


ATTEMPTED   ESCAPE   OP   A   WAGON-TRAIN      207 

me'nt  to  be  watered,  fell  to  drinking  as  though 
they  had  had  no  water  that  day. 

Life  was  rather  disappointed  when  he  saw  the 
company  making  so  good  progress  in  this  novel 
road,  and  they  soon  reached  their  nearest  point 
to  the  coveted  wagons.  The  enemy  were  now 
within  twenty  rods  of  the  train.  Half  an  hour 
had  elapsed  since  Milton  left,  and  it  was  about 
time  for  the  re-enforcement  to  appear. 

The  sergeant  wanted  to  do  something  to  re 
tard  the  advance  of  the  company;  and,  at  the 
top  of  his  ample  lungs,  he  began  to  give  mili 
tary  commands,  as  though  he  had  a  regiment  in 
charge.  The  enemy  heard  his  voice,  and  halted 
where  they  were  in  the  stream. 


208  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XVI 

AN   IMAGINARY   AND   A   REAL  BATTLE 

"  COMPANY  —  halt !  "  yelled  Sergeant  Knox ; 
and  he  continued  to  give  orders,  as  though  he 
were  in  the  act  of  bringing  a  column  into  posi 
tion. 

The  enemy  halted,  as  if  in  obedience  to  the 
command  of  the  sergeant  on  the  shore.  His 
commands  were  plainly  heard  in  the  still  air 
of  the  morning  by  the  troopers  in  the  water; 
for  all  of  them  had  turned  their  gaze  in  the 
direction  of  the  woods.  But  the  observer  was 
concealed  among  the  branches  of  a  large  tree, 
and  the  enemy  could  see  nothing. 

The  guard  of  the  wagon-train  still  continued 
so  work  at  the  wheels.  So  far  as  they  could 
move  the  vehicles  at  all,  it  was  in  the  direction 
of  the  Jamestown  Road,  still  three  miles  from 
them.  As  Life  regarded  the  situation,  it  was  a 
hopeless  case  for  them,  being  only  twenty  rods 


AN   IMAGINARY   AND   A   REAL   BATTLE        209 

from  the  enemy.  It  is  no  wonder  that  they 
were  discouraged,  though  the  officers  compelled 
their  men  to  continue  their  labor. 

The  only  salvation  for  the  train  and  the  guard 
was  in  the  arrival  of  the  re-enforcement  from 
the  Riverlawn  Cavalry  and  its  auxiliary  force. 
He  was  confident  that  this  assistance  would 
come  very  soon,  and  he  hoped  it  would  come 
before  the  enemy  left  the  stream.  Life  meas 
ured  with  his  eye  the  direction  and  distances 
of  the  edge  of  the  forest,  the  train,  and  the 
cavalry. 

His  position  was  in  about  the  centre  of  a 
straight  portion  of  the  line  of  the  woods,  ending 
at  a  point  nearest  to  the  stream.  He  had  been 
informed  that  Lieutenant  Lyon  would  command 
the  detachment  that  was  to  move  towards  the 
pike.  This  force  could  do  little  or  nothing  with 
their  horses  in  the  meadow,  any  more  than  the 
Confederate  company.  The  sergeant  had  ar 
ranged  in  his  mind  just  how  the  affair  should 
be  managed,  and  believed  that  Deck  would  hear 
his  advice,  as  he  often  had  before,  whether  he 
followed  it  or  not, 


210  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

The  enemy  remained  at  a  halt  in  the  stream, 
the  officers  and  most  of  the  troopers  watching  the 
woods  in  the  direction  from  which  the  commands 
came ;  for  Life  had  repeated  them  at  intervals  for 
some  time.  Like  a  prudent  commander,  the  cap 
tain  seemed  to  be  unwilling  to  continue  his  fight 
with  the  mud  until  the  unseen  enemy,  if  there 
was  one,  had  been  seen,  and  his  strength  meas 
ured. 

The  sergeant  looked  at  his  great  silver  watch, 
and  found  that  fifty  minutes  had  elapsed  since  the 
departure  of  Milton.  He  had  calculated  closely 
that  the  re-enforcement  would  be  on  the  ground 
in  about  half  an  hour ;  but  probably  his  impa 
tience  had  hurried  his  reckoning,  and  he  made 
no  allowance  for  the  overhanging  branches  of  the 
trees,  which  would  to  some  extent  impede  the 
progress  of  the  troopers. 

But  he  had  heard  the  sound  of  the  horses'  feet 
as  he  returned  his  watch  to  his  pocket.  He  de 
scended  from  the  tree  in  hot  haste,  and  rushed 
up  the  road  with  all  the  speed  that  his  long  legs 
would  carry  him.  He  soon  discovered  his  lieu 
tenant  riding  at  the  head  of  his  platoon.  Deck, 


"HE    SOON    DISCOVERED    HIS    LIEUTENANT    RIDING   AT   THE    HEAD 


AN   IMAGINARY   AND   A   REAL   BATTLE       211 

as  soon  as  he  saw  the  sergeant,  gave  the  order 
to  walk  the  horses ;  for  he  desired  to  ascertain 
the  nature  of  the  situation  before  he  reached  the 
scene  of  the  coming  action. 

"  None  o'  my  business,  Leftenant ;  but  I  reckon 
you'd  better  halt,  and  take  a  look  at  things 
ahead,"  said  the  sergeant  in  a  very  low  tone  to 
the  commander  of  the  force,  which  consisted  of 
nearly,  or  quite,  eighty  men,  or  more  than  three- 
fourths  of  the  strength  of  the  Confederate  com 
pany,  allowing  it  to  be  full,  as  it  appeared  to  be. 

Deck  promptly  accepted  the  suggestion,  and 
gave  the  command ;  for  he  had  only  the  meagre 
information  conveyed  to  him  by  Milton,  and  he 
knew  nothing  whatever  of  any  changes  in  the 
situation  since  he  left  his  companion ;  and  in  the 
space  of  an  hour  it  was  possible  that  the  condi 
tion  of  things  on  the  meadow  was  entirely  al 
tered. 

In  the  same  low  tone  the  sergeant  suggested 
that  he  had  better  dismount,  and  go  with  him  to 
the  boundary  line  of  the  forest,  where  he  could 
see  for  himself  the  position  of  the  wagon-train 
and  that  of  the  enemy.  This  was  just  what  the 


212  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

lieutenant  wanted  to  know,  and  he  at  once  com 
plied  with  the  suggestion  of  his  faithful  friend. 
They  went  to  the  point  indicated,  keeping  behind 
the  trees  ;  for  Deck  did  not  wish  the  Confederates 
to  draw  any  inference  from  his  appearance  so 
near  the  scene  of  action. 

It  required  but  a  glance  for  the  young  officer 
to  take  in  the  field  of  action,  while  Life  was  ex 
plaining  all  that  he  had  seen,  and  especially  the 
taking  to  the  water,  like  so  many  ducks,  of  the 
enemy.  The  escort  of  the  train  were  still  labo 
riously  using  their  shoulders  at  the  wheels  of  the 
wagons ;  while  the  mules,  six  attached  to  each 
vehicle,  were  struggling  in  the  mud,  and  were 
most  unmercifully  beaten  by  their  negro  drivers. 
A  snail  or  a  turtle  would  have  beaten  in  a  race 
with  the  train. 

"  They  can  never  get  out  of  that  mire,"  said 
Deck. 

"  Never  while  they  travel  the  way  they  are 
going  now,"  replied  Life.  "  They  are  headed 
for  the  Jamestown  Road,  for  I  cal'late  they  don't 
know  nothin'  about  this  road  we  come  by." 

"  That's  a  lieutenant   in  command  of  the  es- 


AN    IMAGINARY   AND   A    REAL   BATTLE       213 

cort,"  said  the  commander  of  the  re-enforcement. 
"  I  don't  think  he  shows  good  judgment,  for  he 
ought  to  get  out  of  that  mire  on  hard  ground 
the  shortest  way  he  can  do  so ;  but  I  suppose 
he  concluded  that  he  could  not  get  his  wagons 
through  the  woods  without  cutting  away  the  trees 
to  make  a  road." 

"  This  road  ain't  down  on  the  maps." 

"  But  I  see  all  there  is  to  be  seen,  Life  ;  and 
I  don't  make  out  why  the  enemy  halts  in  the 
water,  if  they  mean  to  capture  that  train,  and 
they  have  force  enough  to  beat  the  escort  twice 
over." 

"I  reckon  I  brought  'em  to  a  halt,"  said  the 
sergeant,  as  he  described  the  ruse  of  his  orders 
to  an  imaginary  force.  "I  cal'late  that  cap'n 
didn't  mean  to  fall  into  no  trap." 

"  It  was  well  thought  of,  Life ;  now  I  am  ready 
to  return  to  my  command,"  added  Deck,  as  he 
started  for  his  detachment. 

The  sergeant  wanted  to  ask  the  lieutenant  what 
he  intended  to  do,  or,  in  other  words,  to  obtain 
his  plan  of  battle  ;  for  the  young  officer  was  about 
as  reticent  as  his  father  in  matters  of  this  kind. 


214  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

But  he  had  formed  his  plan,  and  was  thinking 
it  over.  The  first  thing  he  did  was  to  send  Mil 
ton,  on  foot,  over  to  the  wagon-train,  advising 
the  lieutenant  in  command  of  the  escort  to  rest 
his  men,  and  not  exhaust  his  force  with  a  useless 
struggle  in  the  mud;  for  a  force  was  at  hand 
which  would  assist  him  in  getting  the  wagons 
to  hard  ground. 

Deck  explained  to  the  sergeant  that  he  had 
been  somewhat  delayed,  before  he  left  the  main 
road,  by  Captain  Gordon,  who  had  given  him 
precise  directions  as  to  his  course  after  he  had 
finished  the  affair  on  the  meadow,  whether  he  was 
defeated  or  successful  in  his  mission;  for  the 
rest  of  the  squadron,  with  the  remainder  of 
the  riflemen,  were  to  proceed  immediately  to 
the  south,  where  the  aide-de-camp  had  work  for 
them  in  that  direction. 

"  Lieutenant  Butters  !  "  called  Deck,  as  he 
rode  to  the  head  of  the  riflemen's  portion  of 
the  column. 

The  late  jail-keeper  rode  to  a  little  opening  in 
the  woods,  where  Deck  had  halted,  and  received 
his  orders.  He  then  formed  his  command  in 


AN   IMAGINARY   AND   A   REAL   BATTLE        215 

line,  probably  animated  by  the  drill  in  which  he 
had  been  engaged  for  two  days.  He  then  num 
bered  them  from  one  up  to  thirty.  The  sharp 
shooters  then  dismounted,  and  secured  their  horses 
in  the  woods.  They  were  again  formed  in  line. 
The  platoon  of  cavalrymen  were  at  rest,  and  Life 
was  ordered  to  dismount  them,  while  Deck 
marched  with  Butters  and  his  command  in  single 
file  into  the  woods  on  the  left  of-  the  road. 

On  this  side  of  the  by-path  the  dividing-line 
between  the  meadow  and  the  woods  extended 
due  north  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  a  point 
beyond  which  the  stream  and  the  low  ground 
reached  nearly  to  the  main  road. 

"  I  want  to  see  the  enemy,"  said  Butters.  "  I 
can't  station  my  men  till  I  can  see  what  they 
are  to  fire  at." 

"Then  we  must  go  nearer  to  the  meadow," 
replied  Deck,  as  the  lieutenant  of  the  riflemen 
halted  his  command,  and  he  led  the  way,  both 
of  them  keeping  behind  the  trees. 

A  change  in  the  situation  greeted  the  vision 
of  Lieutenant  Lyon  as  he  reached  a  position 
where  he  could  see  the  stream  and  the  enemy. 


216  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

"The  Confederates  have  dismounted!"  ex 
claimed  Deck,  as  he  pointed  to  the  enemy  for 
the  benefit  of  his  companion. 

"  So  much  the  better !  "  added  Butters. 

"  Of  course  they  intend  to  attack  the  escort  of 
the  train  on  foot,"  said  Deck.  "All  the  men 
of  the  company  are  not  yet  out  of  the  water ; 
but  they  are  marching  by  fours,  with  their  car 
bines  unslung,  and  they  will  fire  as  soon  as 
they  get  near  enough.  I  must  leave  you  now, 
Lieutenant  Butters,  to  bring  my  men  forward," 
and  the  lieutenant  hastened  back  to  the  road. 

Butters  ran  to  the  left  of  his  line,  and  marched 
his  force,  with  the  thirtieth  man  at  his  side,  or 
next  behind  him,  nearly  to  the  point  of  the  for 
est,  where  he  stationed  the  one  with  the  high 
est  number,  and  then  one  in  reverse  order,  about 
six  feet  apart,  till  the  first  number  was  stationed 
within  a  rod  of  the  by-road.  He  had  measured 
the  distance  very  well,  for  the  centre  of  his  line 
was  a  few  rods  from  opposite  to  the  enemy. 

Deck  was  at  the  end  of  the  road  when  But 
ters  reached  it.  He  was  ordered  to  fire  as 
soon  as  he  was  ready.  He  had  told  the  men 


AN   IMAGINARY  AND   A  HEAL  BATTLE       217 

when  they  were  placed  to  fire  as  soon  as  the 
one  on  his  right  had  done  so.  With  this  rule, 
no  two  or  more  of  the  riflemen  would  aim  at 
the  same  trooper,  as  they  could  not  fail  to  do 
in  a  volley.  The  first  four  of  the  enemy,  with 
two  officers  on  their  left,  were  moving  toward 
the  mired  wagon-train. 

Milton  had  by  this  time  reached  the  escort, 
and  delivered  the  commander's  message.  The 
force  had  ceased  their  labors,  and  placed  them 
selves  behind  the  wagons,  though  they  had  their 
muskets  ready  for  use.  The  enemy  marched 
without  difficulty,  for  the  sod  where  it  had  not 
been  broken  was  tough  enough  to  bear  them  up ; 
but  in  places  the  wandering  cattle  had  cut  it  up 
very  badly. 

Butters  in  a  low  tone  gave  his  orders  to  the 
first  man  in  the  line  to  fire,  and  every  one 
would  do  the  same,  down  to  the  thirtieth  man, 
without  any  further  command;  but  he  had  his 
rifle  in  his  hand,  and  he  fired  himself  before  he 
gave  the  order  to  the  soldier  on  his  left.  The 
crack  of  rifles  began,  and  followed  each  other 
in  rapid  succession.  With  the  fourth  discharge 


218  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

five  men  had  fallen,  including  the  foremost  of 
the  two  officers  on  the  flank,  whom  Butters  had 
brought  down  himself. 

Apparently  not  one  of  the  sharpshooters  missed 
his  aim.  They  adopted  the  method  used  in  the 
battle  on  the  hill,  and  kept  behind  the  trees, 
so  that  the  enemy  could  see  only  the  puff  of 
smoke  as  each  weapon  was  discharged,  and  tl 
men  were  out  of  sight,  or  nearly  so.  Not  less 
than  twenty  men  had  dropped,  either  killed  or 
wounded.  The  sharpshooters  were  Kentucky 
riflemen,  whose  fame  had  been  celebrated  in 
story  and  song,  and  their  weapon  had  been 
their  plaything  from  their  earliest  years. 

Suddenly  a  hoarse  command  was  heard;  but 
its  meaning  could  not  be  made  out  till  the 
men  in  column  dropped  upon  f  the  ground,  and 
extended  themselves  at  full  length,  with  their 
feet  directed  towards  the  woods.  At  the  same 
time  another  order  was  given  nearer  to  the 
stream,  and  the  troopers  in  the  water  began  to 
remount  their  horses.  The  men  in  the  meadow 
began  to  crawl  back  as  hurriedly  as  possible  to 
the  brook.  The  troopers  hurried  their  horses 


AN   IMAGINARY   AND  A   REAL  BATTLE       219 

as  much  as  they  could  in  the  water,  and  their 
progress  was  tolerably  rapid. 

The  stream  continued  to  extend  at  about  an 
equal  distance  from  the  forest.  The  men  on  the 
ground  continued  to  drag  themselves  like  snakes 
on  the  sod  of  the  meadow  till  they  reached  the 
water,  and  mounted  their  horses ;  but  not  a  few 
of  them  were  shot  in  their  progress,  though 
their  position  on  the  ground  was  not  favorable 
to  the  aim  of  the  riflemen.  Deck  saw  that  the 
enemy /would  soon  be  out  of  the  reach  of  the 
rifles  if  they  continued  to  follow  the  creek,  and 
he  ordered  Butters  to  move  his  men  to  the  left. 

Butters  sent  the  command  down  the  line  from 
man  to  man  till  it  reached  the  thirtieth  man, 
who  led  the  file  to  the  point.  The  riflemen  con 
tinued  to  fire  as  fast  as  they  could  load  their 
weapons,  but  still  in  the  order  designated  at 
first.  Butters  at  his  first  shot  after  the  change 
of  position  had  brought  down  the  lieutenant  in 
command  near  the  head  of  the  column ;  and 
he  believed  the  captain  of  the  company  had 
been  the  first  to  fall  by  the  ball  from  his  rifle 
on  the  meadow. 


220  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

The  men  dropped  rapidly  under  the  fire  of 
the  concealed  riflemen,  and  an  officer  who  had 
taken  the  place  of  the  one  near  the  head  of 
the  column  in  the  water  was  evidently  appalled 
by  the  havoc  in  the  command.  He  shouted  an 
order  to  his  men,  which  could  not  be  under 
stood  in  the  woods ;  but  it  was  inferred  when 
the  men  suddenly  dismounted,  and  began  to 
lead  their  animals,  placing  them  between  them 
selves  and  the  forest. 


OVERWHELMING   DEFEAT   OF   THE  ENEMY       221 


CHAPTER   XVII 

THE  OVERWHELMING  DEFEAT  OF  THE  ENEMY 

SERGEANT  KNOX  had  marched  the  platoon  of 
dismounted  cavalry  to  a  position  near  the  end 
of  the  road,  in  readiness  to  move  to  the  assist 
ance  o^  the  train  escort,  as  ordered  by  Lieuten 
ant  Lyon,  when  he  saw  the  enemy  marching 
over  the  meadow  towards  the  wagons.  When 
Deck  realized  the  havoc  made  by  the  sharp 
shooters  in  the  ranks  of  the  Confederate  com 
pany,  he  suspended  the  command  to  move,  and 
watched  the  flow  of  events  from  the  woods. 
He  saw  the  enemy  on  the  meadow  drop  upon 
the  ground,  and  those  in  the  water  remount 
their  horses. 

Leaving  Life  in  command,  with  orders  to  move 
to  the  train  if  the  enemy  approached  it,  he  made 
his  way  over  to  the  point  where  he  could  ob 
tain  a  better  view  of  the  troopers  in  the  water. 
He  found  them  wading  in  the  stream,  covered 


222  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

by  their  horses.  Butters  was  a  great  horse- 
fancier,  as  well  as  a  dead  shot  with  his  rifle, 
and  had  ordered  his  men  by  message  along  his 
line  not  to  kill  the  animals  if  they  could  help  it. 

"  You  are  not  doing  as  much  execution  among 
the  enemy  as  you  were,  Lieutenant  Butters," 
said  Deck  as  he  came  up  with  the  head  of  the 
sharpshooters. 

"  I  am  not,  for  the  Cornfeds  have  made  breast 
works  of  their  horses,"  replied  the  volunteer  lieu 
tenant.  "  I  ordered  my  men  not  to  kill  the  poor 
beasts  if  they  could  help  it." 

"I  think  that  was  a  mistake,"  added  Deck. 

"The  bosses  ain't  Seceshers,"  replied  Butters, 
not  exactly  pleased  with  his  superior's  criticism. 

"But  every  one  of  the  horses  is  doing  more 
\oldier  work  than  any  of  the  men;  for  he  is  sav- 
*Ag  his  rider  from  certain  death,  and  the  soldiers 
can't  do  that  for  each  other,"  replied  Deck,  made 
somewhat  earnest  by  the  tone  of  the  commander 
of  the  sharpshooters.  "  I  love  and  respect  a  good 
horse  as  much  as  you  do ;  and  I  sometimes  think 
Ceph,  the  animal  I  ride,  knows  as  much  as  I  do, 
and  in  his  way  more.  Your  men  are  the  most 


OVERWHELMING   DEFEAT  OF  THE  ENEMY       223 

skilful  with  the  rifle  as  a  body  I  ever  saw  or 
heard  of.  But  those  horses  are  not  such  as  you 
raise  in  this  part  of  Kentucky,  or  where  I  came 
from.  They  are  mean  stock,  and  though  I  am 
sorry  to  do  so,  I  must  order  you  to  shoot  the 
horses ;  for  your  compassion  for  the  poor  beasts 
has  brought  the  action  to  a  standstill,  and  we 
are  doing  nothing." 

"  I  don't  know  but  you  are  right,  Lieutenant 
Lyon;  at  any  rate,  I  obey  your  orders,"  replied 
Butters,  mollified  by  the  compliment  to  his  men 
and  himself,  to  say  nothing  of  the  praise  of  Ken 
tucky  horses. 

"  Your  men  have  ceased  firing,"  added  Deck, 
who  did  not  believe  in  any  stay  of  a  successful 
action. 

"  The  men  have  come  to  the  end  of  the  line, 
and  I  have  not  started  a  new  round,"  Butters 
explained. 

"  Then  start  it  by  bringing  down  the  first  horse 
at  the  head  of  the  column,"  continued  the  River- 
lawn  lieutenant.  "Tell  the  next  man  to  bring 
down  the  soldier  as  the  horse  drops.  Do  you 
know  the  location  of  the  horse's  brain  ?  " 


224  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"I  ought  to;  I'm  a  Loss-doctor  to  home,  and 
I've  had  to  shoot  'em  afore  now  when  they  got 
a  broken  leg,  or  were  too  sick  to  get  well.  You'll 
see  whether  I  know  where  the  brains  is,"  replied 
Butters,  as  he  raised  his  rifle  and  fired.  "  Fire 
at  the  man !  "  he  called  to  the  first  number  in 
the  line  as  the  animal  dropped,  splashing  his 
former  rider  with  water,  which  seemed  to  blind 
him;  for  he  was  stooping  forward,  more  effec 
tually  to  conceal  his  head  behind  the  animal. 

Number  one  discharged  his  piece,  and  almost 
instantly  the  trooper  followed  the  horse.  Butters 
went  to  the  second  rifleman,  and  ordered  him  to 
shoot  the  next  horse,  telling  him  the  part  at 
which  he  was  to  aim.  He  proceeded  along  the 
whole  length  of  the  line,  instructing  the  even 
numbers  to  shoot  the  horse,  and  the  odd  the  man. 
Not  a  man  failed  to  hit  liis  mark,  and  there  was 
soon  a  gap  in  the  column.  Every  officer  had 
fallen,  and  a  panic  seized  the  privates  as  the 
death-line  marched  up  the  stream.  They  were 
brave  men;  but  the  horses  and  men  seemed  to 
fall  as  though  they  had  been  prostrated  by  bolts 
from  heaven,  and  the  men  could  not  see  their 
executioners. 


OVERWHELMING   DEFEAT    OF    THE   ENEMY       225 

Without  any  orders,  unless  the  sergeants  gave 
them,  the  men  leaped  out  of  the  stream,  and  ran 
with  all  the  speed  the  nature  of  the  ground 
would  permit.  The  deserted  horses  remained  in 
the  brook,  and  not  another  one  of  them  was  shot. 
Not  only  those  who  had  been  more  nearly  ex 
posed  to  the  deadly  fire  of  the  sharpshooters,  but 
those  who  were  far  in  the  rear  of  them,  fled 
froni  the  field.  Of  course  they  had  leaped  out 
of  the  water  on  the  farther  side  of  the  stream, 
and  were  running  to  the  north,  or  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  road  from  Jamestown  to  Harrison,  and 
were  liable  to  fall  in  with  the  outskirts  of  Gen 
eral  Thomas's  camp. 

Deck  witnessed  the  utter  rout  of  the  company 
of  cavalry,  and  he  proceeded  to  thank  Butters 
and  his  men  for  the  very  effective  service  they 
had  rendered.  They  had  fought  the  battle  and 
won  it,  and  the  cavalrymen  had  done  nothing  to 
assist  them.  The  lieutenant  of  the  company  of 
Unionists  expressed  his  opinion  loud  enough  to 
be  heard  by  all  the  sharpshooters,  that  there  was 
not  another  body  of  men  in  the  whole  country 
that  could  equal  them  in  the  accuracy  of  their 


226  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

aim.  He  should  commend  them  in  the  highest 
degree  to  Major  Lyon,  and  his  report  would  be 
transmitted  in  due  time  to  the  general  in  com 
mand. 

"  I  will  leave  you  and  your  men  here,  Lieu 
tenant  Butters,  to  watch  the  enemy,"  continued 
Deck.  "  In  about  an  hour  or  two  send  me  a 
report  of  anything  that  happens  about  here ;  "  and 
he  hastened  back  to  the  foot  of  the  by-road. 

The  battle  had  been  fought  and  apparently  won  ; 
for  the  Confederates  were  out  of  rifle-range  in  a 
veiy  short  time.  A  vigorous  cheer  was  sent  up 
about  the  time  that  Deck  came  in  sight  of  the 
train,  proving  that  they  realized  their  own  safety 
and  that  of  the  train.  But  the  young  lieutenant's 
brain  was  busy,  though  he  ordered  his  .command 
to  return  the  cheer  of  the  escort. 

The  wagons,  over  a  dozen  in  number,  were 
safe  from  the  hands  of  the  enemy ;  for  they  had 
enough  to  do  in  the  vicinity  of  Logan's  Cross 
Roads,  as  the  roar  of  the  cannon  in  the  battle 
was  heard  in  the  distance.  Deck  was  studying 
up  some  way  to  extricate  the  wagons  from  their 
miry  plight.  If  he  could  but  procure  a  sufficient 


OVERWHELMING  DEFEAT   OF  THE   ENEMY      227 

quantity  of  boards  or  planks,  he  could  get  them 
to  the  hard  ground.  He  asked  Milton  if  any 
could  be  procured,  and  was  assured  that  none 
could  be  obtained  short  of  Jamestown. 

He  gave  the  order  to  march,  and  directed 
Life  to  go  ahead,  and  select  the  most  favor 
able  ground  for  the  passage.  The  lieutenant 
followed  him  at  the  head  of  his  command,  and 
reached  the  train  in  a  short  time ;  and  though 
some  of  the  soldiers  had  sunk  in  the  mud  down 
to  their  knees,  they  were  pulled  out  of  it.  The 
lieutenant  of  the  escort  had  renewed  his  struggle 
to  move  the  wagons  forward  when  Deck  saluted 
him  as  he  came  out  to  meet  him. 

"Lieutenant  Lyon  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry," 
said  Deck,  as  he  gave  his  hand  to  the  officer. 

"  I  need  not  say  that  I  am  exceedingly  glad 
to  meet  you,  for  you  have  saved  my  men  and 
the  wagon-train,"  was  the  answer.  "Permit  me 
to  present  myself  as  Lieutenant  Sterling  of  the 
Ninth  Ohio  Infantry." 

"  You  have  had  a  hard  march  from  'the  pike 
so  far." 

"  I   have ;    the    toughest   time    I   ever   had    in 


228  A   LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

my  life,  and  I  have  seen  some  deep  mud 
before,"  replied  Lieutenant  Sterling.  "  With 
out  your  timely  aid,  my  command  would  all 
have  been  prisoners,  and  the  wagons  been  in 
possession  of  the  enemy.  But  I  am  bewildered 
at  the  manner  in  which  you  have  done  this  thing. 
I  did  not  see  your  force  till  you  marched  out 
on  the  meadow.  I  heard  a  number  of  rifle- 
cracks,  as  I  judged  they  were,  but  I  did  not 
see  a  man." 

"  It  was  wholly  done  by  a  volunteer  com 
pany  of  riflemen,  attached  to  my  platoon  for 
this  occasion." 

"I  saw  the  enemy  fall  when  they  started  to 
march  over  here,  and  after  they  took  to  the 
stream ;  but  I  could  not  make  out  the  force 
that  fired  the  shots.  There  must  have  been  a 
hundred  of  them." 

"Only  thirty  of  them;  but  I  believe  they 
did  not  waste  a  shot,"  replied  Deck.  "Will 
you  oblige  me  by  giving  me  the  date  of  your 
commission  ?  " 

"Whatever  the  date  of  my  commission,  I 
shall  cheerfully  resign  the  command  to  you;  for 


OVERWHELMING   DEFEAT    OF   THE    ENEMY      229 

you  have  a  larger  force  than  mine,  and  you  have 
fought  the  battle  here  that  saved  me,  though 
you  must  have  been  outnumbered  by  the  enemy. 
My  commission  bears  date  Dec.  27. 

"I  was  commissioned  two  weeks  earlier  than 
that." 

"  Then  you  rank  me,  and  I  am  very  glad  that 
it  is  so,"  answered  Lieutenant  Sterling;  and  he 
proceeded  to  inform  his  command  of  the  fact, 
for  all  of  them  had  been  ordered  to  suspend 
work. 

"  Do  you  happen  to  know  what  any  of  your 
wagons  contain  ?  "  asked  Deck,  who  was  ready 
to  address  himself  to  the  task  of  moving  the 
wagons  to  the  forest  road. 

"They  are  loaded  for  the  most  part  with 
rations  for  the  troops,  and  grain  for  the  horses 
and  mules,  with  some  general  supplies." 

"Do  you  know  if  there  is  any  rope  among 
the  supplies  ?  " 

"  The  quartermaster-sergeant  can  answer  that 
question  better  than  I  can,"  replied  the  officer. 

"Plenty  of  it,  Lieutenant,"  replied  this  man. 
"It  is  in  the  first  wagon  in  the  line." 


230  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"Bring  out  at  least  a  hundred  feet  of  inch- 
rope,"  added  Deck.  "  You  were  not  moving  the 
wagons  to  the  nearest  hard  ground." 

"My  aim  was  to  get  them  to  a  road  indicated 
on  the  map  over  in  that  direction,"  replied 
Lieutenant  Sterling,  pointing  over  towards  the 
one  hy  which  the  Riverlawns  had  come  from 
Jamestown.  "According  to  the  scale  on  my 
map  it  is  about  two  miles  over  there." 

"That  is  very  true;  but,  according  to  the 
fact,  it  is  less  than  a  third  of  a  mile  to  the 
woods  where  we  came  upon  the  meadow." 

"But  it  would  take  me  longer  to  cut  a  road 
through  the  woods  to  the  road  than  it  would 
to  wallow  through  the  mud  to  the  road." 

"  But  there  is  a  by-road  through  the  woods  to 
the  main  road." 

"  I  am  a  total  stranger  here,  and  I  did  not  know 
there  was  even  a  path  through  the  woods,"  added 
the  lieutenant  from  Ohio,  as  the  quartermaster- 
sergeant  rolled  the  rope  out  of  the  wagon. 

Deck  called  his  men,  who  had  been  thoroughly 
rested  by  their  stay  in  the  woods,  whether  they 
needed  it  or  not.  The  long  rope  was  uncoiled; 


OVERWHELMING   DEFEAT   OF   THE    ENEMY      231 

and  Life  was  directed  to  make  the  two  ends 
of  it  fast  to  the  end  of  the  pole,  and  pass  it 
out  through  the  three  pairs  of  mules.  Sixty 
men  were  detailed  to  man  the  rope  in  two 
lines.  This  required  a  part  of  the  escort,  and 
the  rest  of  it  were  ordered  to  stand  by  the 
wheels.  The  negro  driver  of  the  first  wagon 
was  told  by  Life  to  go  to  the  rear  end  and 
push;  but  this  was  done  only  to  get  him  out 
of  the  way,  for  his  brutality  had  disgusted  both 
the  lieutenant  and  the  sergeant,  as  both  of  them 
believed  in  kindness  to  animals.  They  had  seen 
the  beatings  bestowed  on  the  animals  before ;  and 
Deck,  looking  through  his  glass,  was  satisfied  that 
the  mules  did  not  pull  a  pound  under  the  beat 
ing.  Perhaps  they  were  disgusted  with  the  fail 
ure  of  their  efforts  to  move  the  wagon,  as  well 
as  by  the  blows  heaped  upon  them. 

Life  patted  them  on  the  neck,  and  coaxed 
them,  and  he  certainly  succeeded  in  bringing 
them  to  a  good-natured  condition  of  mind. 

"  Now,  boys,  straighten  out  them  ropes !  " 
shouted  Life  to  the  soldiers  who  manned  them. 
"  Pull  steady  for  all  you're  wuth !  Now,  my 


232  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

beauties  !  Hi !  now !  Come,  my  beauties  !  "  said 
he,  taking  the  nigh  head  leader  by  the  head, 
and  leading  him  along. 

To  the  astonishment  of  the  men  looking  on, 
this  mule  made  a  flying  leap  nearly  out  of  his 
harness,  and  then  pulled  as  steadily  as  a  well- 
trained  horse ;  and  the  rest  of  the  team  followed 
his  example.  Life  seemed  to  have  some  hyp 
notic  power  over  a  horse,  and  it  appeared  that 
he  had  the  same  influence  over  the  mules.  The 
men  tugged  at  the  rope,  and  the  wagon  was 
hauled  out  of  the  mire. 

"Keep  it  moving!  "  shouted  Deck.  "If  you 
stop,  it  will  mire  again.  Keep  it  a-going !  " 

The  men  seemed  to  regard  the  work  as  a 
sort  of  enjoyable  farce ;  and  they  cheered  each 
other  along,  and  some  of  them  took  to  singing. 
They  did  not  seem  to  be  exerting  all  their 
strength,  but  the  wagon  moved  along  at  quite  a 
lively  pace.  If  they  had  stopped  two  minutes,  the 
wheels  would  have  sunk  down  into  the  mud. 


"John  Brown's  wagon  got  stuck  in  the  mud, 
And  we  pull  it  through  the  black  miry  flood, 
As  we  go  marching  on," 


OVERWHELMING    DEFEAT    OF    THE   ENEMY      233 

sang  the  soldiers ;  and  in  a  few  minutes  more 
they  landed  the  first  of  the  wagon-train  high  and 
dry  in  the  by-road. 

Here  one  of  the  riflemen  was  waiting  for  the 
lieutenant,   being  a  messenger  from  Butters. 


234  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW 

THE  soldiers  thought  it  was  nothing  but 
amusement  to  drag  the  wagon  out  of  the  mud 
and  haul  it  to  the  woods.  Sixty  men  and  six 
mules  made  comparatively  easy  work  of  it.  It 
was  nearly  dinner-time,  and  Deck  had  ordered 
the  meal  to  be  served  on  the  meadow  to  those 
that  remained  there  of  the  escort.  During  all 
this  time  the  heavy  guns  had  been  thundering 
in  the  vicinity  of  Logan's  Cross  Roads ;  and  as 
the  day  advanced  the  roar  was  perceptible  nearer, 
indicating  that  the  enemy  had  been  driven  from 
the  first  field  towards  the  south. 

The  men  proceeded  to  eat  their  dinner  from 
their  haversacks,  while  the  quartermaster-ser 
geant  had  taken  rations  from  the  wagon  for  the 
portion  of  the  escort  that  had  come  over  to 
the  woods.  As  soon  as  Lieutenant  Lyon  had 
given  his  attention  to  the  needs  of  his  men 


THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW   235 

and  horses,  he  turned  to  receive  the  message  of 
the  rifleman.  Life  gave  his  personal  attention 
to  the  six  mules  that  had  come  over,  and  they 
were  supplied  with  a  veiy  liberal  feed  of  corn 
and  oats. 

"  Lieutenant  Butters  directs  me  to  report  to 
you  that  the  enemy  are  returning  across  the 
meadow,  flying  a  flag  of  truce  at  the  head  of 
the  column,"  said  the  rifleman  when  Deck  in 
dicated  that  he  was  ready  to  hear  him ;  and 
only  a  few  minutes  elapsed  while  he  was  giving 
his  orders. 

"  How  many  men  are  returning  ? "  asked  the 
lieutenant. 

"  They  were  too  far  off  for  us  to  count  them ; 
hut  we  guessed  there  were  about  sixty  of  them, 
for  they  must  have  lost  at  least  forty  in  killed 
and  wounded,  to  say  nothing  of  the  latter  who 
were  not  disabled.  Lieutenant  Butters  wants  to 
know  what  to  do  about  the  flag  of  truce." 

"How  far  off  are  they  now?"  asked  Deck. 

"They  were  some  distance  beyond  the  stream 
when  I  left,  about  half  an  hour  ago." 

"  Return    to    Lieutenant    Butters ;    tell    him    I 


236  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

will  be  with  him  very  soon,  and  ask  him  to 
send  half  his  men,  good  strong  fellows,  to  assist 
in  getting  the  wagons  out  of  the  mire,"  replied 
Deck ;  and  the  rifleman  left  in  obedience  to  the 
order. 

The  men  and  the  animals  were  all  busy  with 
their  dinner,  and  the  presence  of  the  lieutenant 
was  no  longer  necessary  for  a  time.  He  spoke 
to  his  orderly  sergeant,  who  was  eating  his  din 
ner  with  the  mules,  and  started  for  the  point,  eat 
ing  the  contents  of  his  haversack  on  the  way. 
On  his  arrival  he  found  Butters  engaged  in  se 
lecting  the  men  to  send  over  to  the  assistance 
of  the  cavalrymen. 

"  Gittin'  wagons  out  of  the  mud  ain't  exactly 
the  work  for  sharpshooters,"  growled  Butters  as 
Deck  approached  him.  "But  I  have  called  for 
volunteers." 

"  It  is  the  work  of  soldiers  to  do  whatever  is 
to  be  done,"  replied  the  cavalry  officer,  who  was 
not  pleased  with  the  growl,  or  the  tone  in  which 
it  had  been  made. 

"It  is  not  exactly  the  work  of  sharpshooters 
to  work  in  the  mud,"  returned  Butters,  appar- 


THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW   237 

ently  unwilling  to  have  his  men  ordered  away 
from  his  immediate  command. 

"  You  are  volunteers ;  and  if  you  object  to 
obeying  my  orders,  you  may  march  your  men 
back  to  Millers ville,"  replied  Lieutenant  Lyon 
with  dignity  enough  for  a  major-general. 

"  Do  you  mean  to  send  us  back  ?  "  demanded 
Butters  angrily. 

Deck  saw  that,  from  the  first,  the  lieutenant 
in  command  of  the  riflemen  was  afflicted  with  an 
attack  of  the  "big  head,"  and  considered  himself 
as  the  practical  superior  of  the  young  officer 
who  was  his  military  superior  by  the  order  of 
the  major  commanding.  The  cavalry  officer  was 
not  "  puffed  up "  by  his  position,  but  he  felt 
the  necessity  of  maintaining  his  dignity  as  the 
chief  of  the  entire  force  on  the  ground. 

"I  do  not  send  you  back,  but  I  give  you  per 
mission  to  retire  from  the  field,"  added  Deck. 

"I  should  like  to  ask  who  has  done  all  the 
work  that  has  been  done  in  this  place?"  de 
manded  Butters. 

"I  admit  that  your  men  have  done  the  most 
of  it,"  answered  the  lieutenant,  when  the  entire 


238  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

thirty  riflemen  had  gathered  near  to  hear  the 
dispute ;  "  but  if  you  are  not  willing  to  obey  my 
orders,  I  can  get  along  better  without  you  than 
with  you.  If  you  desire  to  retire  from  the  field, 
I  have  nothing  more  to  say." 

"No!   no!   no!"  shouted  half  the  men. 

"You  can  do  as  you  please,  Lieutenant  But 
ters,"  added  Deck,  when  he  realized  that  a  ma 
jority  of  the  riflemen  were  with  him. 

They  had  seen  Deck  in  the  thickest  of  the 
•fight  at  the  hill,  and  heard  all  about  his  con 
duct  in  other  actions  from  the  members  of  the 
company  with  whom  they  had  fraternized  at 
the  jail,  and  it  is  not  stating  it  too  strongly  to 
say,  in  figurative  terms,  that  he  was  the  idol 
of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry. 

"I  was  calling  for  volunteers,  and  meant  to 
obey  your  order,  Lieutenant  Lyon,"  said  Butters. 

"But  you  objected  to  it,  and  there  is  no 
emergency  in  the  present  situation." 

"  Volunteers  to  work  in  the  medder,  walk 
over  to  my  right!  "  ordered  the  lieutenant  of 
the  riflemen,  though  with  very  ill  grace. 

Deck's  ideas  of  discipline  were  of  the  severe 


THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW   239 

order,  and  it  was  against  his  principles  to  call 
for  volunteers  for  any  ordinary  service,  though 
proper  enough  for  that  of  a  desperate  nature ; 
for  it  was  his  opinion  that  soldiers  should  obey 
orders  without  any  question,  and  he  was  on  the 
point  of  countermanding  the  call,  when  every 
one  of  the  riflemen  rushed  over  to  the  side 
indicated. 

"Lieutenant  Butters,  you  will  detail  fifteen 
men  for  duty  in  connection  with  the  cavalry, 
and  send  them  over  to  the  end  of  the  by-road," 
said  Deck  in  his  usual  quiet  tones ;  and  turn 
ing  on  his  heel  without  another  word,  returned 
to  his  men,  finishing  his  dinner  on  the  way. 

He  heard  some  rather  strong  talk  before  he 
passed  out  of  earshot,  and  it  was  plain  the 
riflemen  were  giving  their  officer  some  points 
in  military  discipline.  Not  a  word  was  said 
about  the  enemy;  for  Deck  saw  that  they  were 
still  at  a  considerable  distance  beyond  the  creek, 
and  he  intended  to  return  as  soon  as  he  had 
started  his  force  for  the  other  wagons.  The  fif 
teen  volunteers  promptly  appeared.  The  removal 
of  the  wagons  from  the  meadow  was  given  in 


240  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

charge  of  Sergeant  Knox,  and  Deck  went  again 
to  the  point  where  Butters  was  waiting  for 
him. 

"I  reckon  I  was  wrong  in  the  little  muss 
we  had  a  while  ago ;  but  I'm  ready  to  apologize 
for  it,"  said  the  commander  of  the  riflemen.  "I 
hain't  got  used  to  strict  military  discipline ;  but 
I  shall  be  all  right  after  this." 

"It  isn't  necessary  to  say  anything  more  about 
that  matter,"  replied  Deck.  "  The  Confederates 
that  you  defeated  so  handsomely  have  reached 
the  stream;  they  are  still  showing  the  white 


"I  reckon  they  are  in  a  bad  way;  but  I  don'-t 
see  what  they  come  back  for,"  added  Butters, 
pleased  to  find  that  the  lieutenant  had  nothing 
more  to  say  about  his  insubordination. 

"  Let  your  men  take  their  rifles  and  follow 
me,"  added  Deck,  as  he  began  to  descend  the 
slope  to  the  meadow. 

"  Hallo !  Hallo !  "  shouted  a  voice  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  by-road. 

"That's  a  man  in  uniform,"  said  Butters,  as 
Jie  discovered  the  person. 


THE   FLAG   OF   TRUCE   ON   THE    MEADOW      241 

Tire  cavalry  lieutenant  reascended  the  bank, 
and  saw  the  individual  in  uniform.  Without 
saying  anything  he  hastened  towards  him. 

"I  am  exceedingly  glad  to  see  you,  Captain 
Woodbine,"  he  said,  as  the  aide-de-camp  ex 
tended  his  hand  to  him.  "I  am  greatly  in  need 
of  advice  from  a  person  of  your  experience." 

"But  you  seem  to  have  done  exceedingly  well 
without  any  advice  so  far;  for  the  sentinel  in 
the  road  informed  me  that  you  had  saved  the 
wagon-train,  had  defeated  a  company  of  Confed 
erate  cavalry,  and  brought  one  of  the  vehicles  to 
the  hard  ground  by  an  expedient  of  your  own," 
continued  Captain  Woodbine,  still  shaking  the 
hand  of  the  lieutenant.  "I  see  that  boys  some 
times  become  men  of  experience  all  at  once,  when 
an  emergency  is  presented  to  them." 

"I  have  done  what  I  could  here,"  replied 
Deck,  studying  the  soil  under  his  feet. 

"  With  twenty  years'  experience  no  one  could 
have  done  better,"  said  the  captain  heartily; 
"and  not  many  could  have  done  so  well.  But 
I  suppose  you  would  like  to  learn  something 
about  the  battle  which  is  still  in  progress,  though 


242  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  enemy  have  been  driven  a  considerable  dis 
tance  to  the  southward." 

"  We  have  been,  hearing  the  heavy  guns  here 
since  we  reached  the  meadow,  and  I  should  be 
very  glad  to  know  the  result,  for  I  hope  our 
squadron  will  have  some  hand  in  the  fight," 
replied  Deck,  looking  with  interest  into  the  face 
of  the  visitor. 

"You  have  already  had  some  hand  in  it,  for 
you  have  rendered  one  company  of  Confederate 
cavalry  hors  de  combat,  and  saved  that  supply- 
train  ;  and  the  general  has  had  some  anxiety 
about  it,  for  it  would  be  a  godsend  to  the  enemy, 
half  starved  as  they  are.  Thus  you  have  ren 
dered  a  double  service  to  our  army.  But  what 
are  you  doing  over  here  ? " 

"I  will  show  you  in  a  few  minutes,"  answered 
Deck ;  and  he  gave  a  brief  account  of  the  action 
with  the  enemy  in  the  meadow  and  in  the  creek, 
and  their  final  flight  to  the  north.  "  I  don't 
understand  why  they  are  coming  back  under  a 
flag  of  truce." 

"I  understand  it  very  well.  If  they  had  gone 
as  far  as  the  woods  you  see  about  a  mile  be- 


THE  FLAG  OF  TRUCE  ON  THE  MEADOW   243 

yon'd  the  creek,  they  would  have  come  on  the 
flank  of  our  army ;  and  very  likely  they  were 
fired  upon,  and  compelled  to  retire,  for  the  bat 
tle  is  still  raging  in  and  beyond  that  wood." 

"  I  conclude  that  they  want  to  surrender ;  and 
sixty  prisoners  of  war,  with  their  wounded,  would 
be  an  encumbrance  to  me,"  added  Deck,  as  they 
reached  the  border  of  the  meadow. 

"  What  were  you  about  to  do  when  I  came, 
Lieutenant  ?  "  inquired  the  captain. 

"I  was  going  out  to  the  spot  by  the  stream 
where  the  bearers  of  the  flag  have  halted." 

"Can't  the  man  in  command  of  the  riflemen 
do  that?" 

"  I  would  not  trust  him  with  such  business," 
replied  Deck.  "  He  is  a  good  enough  sort  of 
man,  but  he  is  troubled  to  some  extent  with  the 
malady  called  the  'big  head,'  and  he  is  an  igno 
rant  fellow,  and  his  greatest  virtue  is  his  skill 
with  his  rifle." 

The  aide-de-camp  went  to  as  open  a  place  as 
he  could  find,  waved  his  cap  over  his  head,  and 
then  beckoned  vigorously  for  the  enemy's  cavalry 
men  to  come  to  the  wood.  He  repeated  the  sign 


244  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

several  times,  and  then  they  crossed  the  stream 
and  moved  towards  the  point. 

"That's  all  right,"  continued  (Captain  Wood 
bine,  as  he  took  the  lieutenant  by  the  arm,  and 
conducted  him  out  of  the  hearing  of  the  rifle 
men.  "  This  matter  is  delaying  me  ;  but  I  think 
we  can  manage  it.  I  have  received  a  messenger 
from  the  general,  who  was  the  bearer  of  a  letter, 
hastily  written  with  a  pencil  on  the  field,  to  the 
effect  that  the  enemy  has  been  beaten,  and  are 
falling  back.  He  believes  that  it  will  be  a  rout 
before  night;  and  the  First  Kentucky  Cavalry 
has  been  sent  over  here  to  harass  the  defeated 
army  of  Zollicoffer,  who  was  killed  on  the 
field." 

"  That  is  all  good  news,"  said  Deck. 

"But  the  end  has  not  come  yet.  I  was  sent 
over  here  on  account  of  my  knowledge  of  the 
country,  to  convey  the  general's  orders  to  such 
commanders  as  I  might  meet;  and  while  I  am 
delaying  here  I  am  afraid  the  Kentucky  regi 
ment  will  pass  the  head  of  the  by-road,  and  I 
shall  fail  to  see  the  commander." 

"But  I  can  send  one  of  these  riflemen  to  the 


'  THE   FLAG   OF   TRUCE   ON   THE   MEADOW      245 

main  road,  with  a  written  order  to  await  the 
arrival  of  the  regiment,  and  direct  the  force  to 
wait,"  suggested  Deck. 

"Call  up  the  messenger,"  added  the  captain, 
as  he  proceeded"  to  write  the  order  in  his  memo 
randum-book;  and  it  was  sent  by  the  mounted 
rifleman. 

"  The  general  feared  that  a  flanking  force 
might  have  been  sent  over  by  Zollicoffer  by  this 
road;  and  that  is  the  reason  that  I  asked  the 
general  for  the  use  of  your  squadron.  He  partic 
ularly  charged  me  to  help  along  the  wagon-train 
if  it  was  not  already  captured,  as  it  certainly 
would  have  been  if  the  lieutenant  comman 
ding  the  escort  had  not  taken  to  the  meadow. 
Now  I  am  in  haste  to  get  your  squadron  and 
the  rest  of  your  regiment,  for  you  belong  to  it, 
in  a  position  where  this  force  will  be  available 
in  checking  the  retreat  of  the  enemy,  and  you 
may  have  more  fighting  to  do  before  night,  or  in 
the  evening." 

At  this  moment  Lieutenant  Sterling  of  the 
train  escort  touched  his  cap  to  his  senior  in 
rank,  and  reported  that  the  wagons  had  all  been 


246 


A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


hauled  to  the  woods,  and  were  in  the  by 
road. 

"How  many  men  have  you,  Lieutenant?" 
asked  the  captain. 

The  chief  of  the  escort  looked  at  Deck,  and 
did  not  answer  at  once. 


t 
•RIVERLAWN    CAVALKY   ON   THE   FLANK      247 


CHAPTER   XIX 

THE   RIVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE   FLANK 

THE  aide-de-camp  was  a  stranger  to  Lieuten 
ant  Sterling,  who  therefore  hesitated  to  answer 
such  a  question;  but  Deck  immediately  intro 
duced  him  to  the  staff-officer,  adding  that  he  had 
saved  the  wagon-train  from  the  enemy  by  taking 
to  the  meadow,  and  had  brought  it  over  a  mile 
through  the  mire. 

"  You  have  done  well,  Lieutenant  Sterling,  and 
I  will  mention  the  matter  to  the  general,"  said 
the  captain. 

"  Thank  you,  Captain  Woodbine.  I  have  forty 
men,  besides  the  quartermaster-sergeant  and  thir 
teen  mule-drivers,"  added  the  chief  of  the  escort 
very  respectfully. 

"  You  are  a  commissioned  officer  ?  " 

"I  am,  Captain." 

"You  may  retire,  but  remain  within  call. 

"The  presence  of  this   officer  solves  the  diffi- 


248  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

culty,"  continued  the  aide-de-camp.  "He  has  to 
conduct  his  wagons  within  our  lines,  and  he  can 
take  charge  of  the  prisoners  after  you  have  dis 
armed  them.  They  do  not  seem  to  be  disposed 
to  fight,  and  the  escort  is  sufficient.  They  will 
be  here  in  a  very  short  time.  Lieutenant  Ster 
ling!  "  he  called. 

This  officer  hastened  back  to  the  point,  and 
saluted  the  captain ;  and  this  time  he  noticed 
the  gold  cord  of  a  staff-officer  on  the  sides  of 
his  trousers,  which  had  been  concealed  before 
by  a  clump  of  bushes  in  which  he  stood.  He 
had  been  an  officer  in  the  regular  army,  a  West 
Pointer,  who  had  resigned  in  "piping  times  of 
peace." 

"I  have  to  assign  you  to  an  important  duty 
in  addition  to  your  present  service,  and  I  have 
no  doubt  you  will  perform  it  as  well  as  you 
have  the  conduct  of  the  wagon-train,"  said  Cap 
tain  Woodbine. 

"I  should  certainly  have  been  captured  if 
Lieutenant  Lyon  had  not  fought  and  beaten  the 
enemy's  cavalry,"  replied  the  chief  of  the  escort. 

"It  would  not  have   been   your  fault   if   you 


KIVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE    FLANK 

had  been.  What  is  left  of  the  enemy  will  be 
placed  in  your  charge,  and  you  will  march  them 
to  our  lines  beyond  Jamestown.  They  will  be  dis 
armed  as  soon  as  they  come  in,"  said  the  captain. 

Lieutenant  Sterling  was  then  sent  over  to  the 
road  with  a  message  to  Life  Knox  to  march  the 
cavalry,  dismounted,  to  the  point,  and  to  bring 
over  his  own  men,  except  a  guard  for  the  wag 
ons  and  the  horses.  They  were  on  the  ground 
as  soon  as  the  Confederates  reached  the  forest. 
They  came  on  foot,  and  left  the  horses  where 
they  had  been  abandoned. 

An  orderly  sergeant,  as  he  appeared  to  be 
from  the  chevrons  on  his  arm,  advanced  and 
asked  for  the  commanding  officer;  and  Deck  was 
pointed  out  by  the  riflemen,  as  his  men  ascended 
the  bank  to  the  solid  ground.  He  presented 
himself  to  the  lieutenant,  and  saluted. 

"I  am  Sergeant  Pfeffer,  and  we  desire  to  sur 
render,  for  we  can  do  nothing  more,"  said  he. 

"  Where  are  all  your  commissioned  officers  ?  " 
asked  Deck. 

"They  are  all  killed  or  badly  wounded,"  an 
swered  the  sergeant. 


250  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  How  many  men  have  you  now  ?  " 

"  Fifty-eight ;  and  we  started  out  early  this 
morning  with  a  full  company,"  returned  Pfeffer, 
with  no  little  bitterness  in  his  tones. 

"  You  will  march  your  men  in  single  file  along 
this  bank,  and  deposit  your  arms  of  all  kinds 
on  the  ground,"  said  Lieutenant  Lyon. 

He  directed  Life  to  supervise  the  ceremony, 
sending  the  weapons  by  his  own  men  and  the 
riflemen  to  the  wagons ;  and  the  quartermaster- 
sergeant  was  directed  to  load  them  in  the  vehi 
cles.  Deck  hurried  the  business,  for  the  aide-de 
camp  was  impatient  at  the  delay.  As  soon  as 
this  duty  had  been  accomplished,  and  Lieutenant 
Sterling  was  thus  in  condition  to  handle  the 
prisoners,  Deck  ordered  the  cavalrymen  and  the 
riflemen  to  return  to  the  road,  mount  their 
horses,  and  form  in  the  usual  order,  in  column, 
under  the  command  of  Sergeant  Knox. 

Captain  Woodbine  instructed  Lieutenant  Ster 
ling  to  have  the  prisoners,  under  a  guard  of  his 
own  men,  bring  in  the  wounded,  bury  the  dead, 
and  lead  their  horses  to  the  forest.  He  was 
told  to  be  very  cautious,  and  to  shoot  any  pris- 


RIVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE   FLANK       251 

oner  who  attempted  to  escape  or  make  any 
serious  trouble.  With  forty  men,  armed  with 
muskets  of  the  best  quality,  the  captain  declared 
that  he  could  control  the  greater  number  of  pris 
oners. 

The  aide-de-camp,  who  may  take  command  of 
any  body  of  troops  in  the  field  if  he  finds  it 
advisable  to  so,  and  Lieutenant  Lyon  hastened 
to  their  horses,  and  mounted,  and  the  column 
moved  up  the  road.  Lieutenant  Sterling  proved 
himself  to  be  a  man  of  energy  and  determina 
tion.  He  drew  up  his  command  around  the 
prisoners,  and  then  addressed  them.  He  told 
them  what  they  were  to  do,  and  warned  them 
that  any  man  who  attempted  to  escape,  or  offered 
any  opposition  to  his  orders,  would  be  summa 
rily  shot. 

Forming  the  remains  of  the  company  by  fours, 
with  his  own  men  on  the  flanks,  he  marched 
them  to  the  stream.  They  were  first  required 
to  dispose  of  the  dead  and  wounded,  who  num 
bered  over  forty,  and  to  do  what  they  could  to 
aid  the  latter.  Quite  a  number  of  them  who  had 
not  been  disabled  had  been  hit  and  more  or  less 


252  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

injured,  and  the  lieutenant  had  excused  the  worst 
cases  from  duty. 

The  horses  were  all  led  to  the  point,  and  the 
wounded  who  were  ahle  to  ride  them  were 
mounted.  It  was  late  in  the  afternoon  when 
the  cumbersome  column  was  ready  to  move. 
Lieutenant  Sterling's  infantry  had  worked  hard 
all  day,  arid  were  considerably  fatigued  by  their 
hard  labor  at  the  wheels  of  the  wagons.  He 
mounted  the  best  horse  he  could  find,  and  gave 
a  steed  to  each  of  his  men.  A  horse  was  also 
given  to  each  wounded  prisoner  able  to  ride  him ; 
but  the  others  were  required  to  go  on  foot,  for 
the  officer  would  not  trust  them  with  horses  for 
fear  they  might  attempt  to  escape. 

The  prisoners  had  the  head  of  the  column,  the 
mounted  ones  'in  their  rear,  with  a  file  of  the 
mounted  infantry  on  each  flank  of  them.  The 
wagons  completed  the  column,  with  guards  on 
each  side  of  them,  mounted  like  the  others.  Each 
vehicle  had  a  led  horse  behind  it;  for  there  were 
more  of  them  than  of  prisoners.  The  lieutenant, 
mindful  of  the  instructions  of  Captain  Woodbine, 
kept  a  careful  watch  over  his  charge,  riding  up 


fclVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE   FLANK      253 

and  down  the  line  on  both  sides.  In  due  time, 
though  not  until  in  the  evening,  he  delivered 
the  wagon-train  to  the  chief  quartermaster  at  the 
camp,  and  the  prisoners  to  the  provost  marshal. 
He  was  highly  commended  later  for  his  efficient 
service. 

It  would  require  a  whole  volume  to  give  the 
details  of  the  battle,  as  it  began  in  the  early 
morning,  and  continued  with  more  or  less  inten 
sity  till  evening,  when  the  enemy  were  driven 
back  to  their  intrenchments  on  the  Cumberland 
River.  General  Thomas  cannonaded  till  dark, 
and  he  intended  to  storm  the  works  the  next 
morning. 

Lieutenant  Lyon's  command,  accompanied  by 
Captain  Woodbine,  reached  the  Millersville  Road 
in  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  where  they  found 
a  portion  of  the  First  Kentucky  Cavalry  waiting 
for  them,  detained  there  by  the  written  order  of 
the  aide-de-camp.  The  column  was  reformed,  ami 
marched  with  all  haste  for  a  distance  of  two 
miles,  where  the  captain  turned  into  another  by 
road,  made  by  teams  hauling  out  wood  from  the 
forest,  and  running  parallel  to  the  one  by  which 


254  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

the  force  had  reached  the  meadow,  and  nearly  to 
the  pike. 

At  a  point  on  this  road  Captain  Woodbine  had 
sent  the  companies  in  advance  of  the  First  Ken 
tucky,  by  what  looked  like  a  cattle-path,  to  a 
position  in  the  woods  where  they  might  inter 
cept  the  retreating  enemy,  or  at  least  annoy  them. 
The  Confederates  were  moving  to  the  south  by 
the  pike  and  each  side  of  it,  the  infantry  passing 
through  the  miry  region.  The  Riverlawn  por 
tion  continued  on  the  same  road  till  they  came 
in  sight  of  the  intrenchments  on  the  north  side 
of  the  Cumberland,  where  the  rear  of  Major 
Lyon's  command  was  drawn  up. 

At  this  time  in  the  afternoon  no  considerable 
portion  of  the  enemy  had  advanced  near  their 
intrenchments,  and  there  appeared  to  be  nothing 
for  the  squadron  to  do.  The  major  wanted  to 
know  what  his  son  had  been  doing;  and  Deck 
gave  him  a  brief  account  of  his  operations  at  the 
meadow.  Not  a  man  had  been  lost  in  the  affair, 
which  had  been  fought  by  the  sharpshooters  be-: 
hind  the  trees  near  the  point.  The  artillery's 
guns  were  still  booming  on  the  air  in  the  distance. 


RIVERLAWH  CAVALEY  ON  THE    FLA1JK      255 

Captain  Woodbine  had  chosen  the  position  to 
be  occupied  by  the  squadron;  and  he  had  sent 
the  remainder  of  the  regiment  to  which  it  nom 
inally  belonged  to  a  point  farther  north,  for 
reasons  of  his  own  which  he  did  not  explain, 
but  probably  he  desired  to  keep  the  Riverlawns 
by  themselves. 

The  riflemen  were  now  reunited;  and  while 
Deck  was  telling  his  story  to  his  father,  Captain 
Woodbine  conducted  the  body,  now  under  the 
command  of  Captain  Ripley,  from  the  hill  behind 
which  the  two  companies  of  cavalry  were  sta 
tioned,  so  that  they  could  not  be  seen  by  the 
enemy,  to  another  hill  which  commanded  the  pike 
and  the  meadow.  Here  he  posted  them,  and  gave 
the  commander  his  orders. 

From  this  height  the  sharpshooters  could  harass 
the  enemy  retreating  over  the  pike,  and  also  the 
two  regiments  of  infantry  retiring  over  the  low 
ground,  the  first  of  which  was  within  twenty 
rods  of  the  hill.  It  was  evident  that  it  was 
marching  towards  ground  to  the  west  of  the  hill, 
where  the  ascent  was  less  difficult.  They  were 
within  range  of  the  riflemen,  and  the  fight  in 


oti  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

this  section  of  the  field  was  extremely  likely  to 
begin  here.  But  the  First  Kentucky  Cavalry 
was  posted  near  them,  and  would  be  obliged  to 
bear  the  brunt  of  it. 

Captain  Woodbine  went  to  these  troopers,  and 
moved  them  to  a  more  favorable  position,  where 
they  could  support  the  sharpshooters;  for  they 
were  nearly,  if  not  quite,  as  efficient  as  a  battery 
would  have  been  in  the  same  place.  Directly  in 
front  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry  was  a  hill  over 
looking  the  intrenchments  of  the  enemy,  which 
sheltered  the  command  from  the  guns  if  they 
were  fired  in  that  direction ;  and  the  aide-de-camp 
rode  his  horse  up  the  declivity,  which  was  par 
tially  covered  with  trees. 

Then  he  dismounted,  hitched  his  horse,  and 
placed  himself  behind  a  tree,  where  he  could  see 
all  the  force  he  had  taken  under  his  command, 
and  all  the  approaches  of  the  enemy  who  were 
hurrying  down  the  pike  and  on  both  sides  of  it. 
Just  then  he  wished  he  had  half  a  dozen  regi 
ments  of  troops,  for  he  believed  that  with  a  suffi 
cient  force  he  could  cut  off  the  retreat  of  the 
enemy  to  his  works. 


RIVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE    FLANK      257 

He  had  five  companies  of  cavalry  and  fifty- 
six  riflemen,  less  than  a  single  regiment;  and  he 
could  only  impede,  but  not  check,  the  retreat. 
Major  Lyon  surveyed  the  country  around  from 
all  points ;  and  when  he  saw  the  captain  on  the 
hill,  he  ascended  it  in  order  to  make  a  startling 
proposition  to  him. 

"We  are  within  half  a  mile  of  the  enemy's 
intrenchments,  Captain  Woodbine,"  the  major 
began. 

"  Hardly  as  near  as  that,  Major,"  replied  the 
aide-de-camp. 

"  A  quarter  of  a  mile  would  make  no  difference 
with  my  plan." 

"  Ah,  then  you  have  a  plan  ? "  replied  the 
captain  with  a  smile. 

"  I  am  not  an  engineer,  as  I  believe  you  are ; 
but  I  have  been  looking  over  those  earthworks. 
I  see  a  place  where  I  believe  I  could  ride  my 
squadron  over  them ;  and  I  presume  there  is  not 
a  large  force  there,  for  it  has  the  river  on  one 
side.  We  have  something  less  than  six  hundred 
men,  all  mounted,  and  I  fancy  we  could  ride 
over  the  artillerymen  it  contains." 


258  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  I  don't  believe  you  could  get  into  the  works, 
in  the  first  place,"  returned  the  captain  with  a 
laugh.  "If.  you  did  get  in,  you  would  find 
yourself  outnumbered  two  to  one." 

"I  should  be  willing  to  feel  of  them,  at  any 
rate,"  added  the  major. 

"  Do  you  suppose  a  general  with  ability  enough 
to  command  an  army  of  five  or  six  thousand 
men  would  be  so  stupid  as  to  march  from  his  in- 
trenchments,  and,  going  away  ten  miles  to  attack 
another  army,  would  leave  his  base  of  retreat 
insufficiently  manned  ?  " 

"  I  supposed  they  would  have  been  sending  up 
re-enforcements  to  the  battle-field  all  day;  and 
they  could  not  have  done  that  without  reducing 
greatly  the  number  in  the  works.  However,  I 
am  not  a  very  experienced  soldier,  Captain  Wood 
bine,  and  I  am  willing  to  admit  that  I  should 
not  have  undertaken  the  enterprise  on  my  own 
responsibility,"  replied  the  major. 

"  Of  course  it  may  be  possible  that  the  garri 
son  within  the  fort  has  been  reduced  to  a  number 
equal,  or  even  less,  than  your  force ;  but  I  should 
say  it  would  be  foolhardy  in  the  extreme  to 


RIVERLAWN   CAVALRY   ON   THE    FLANK      259 

make  such  a  venture  without  a  certain  knowl 
edge  of  the  extent  of  the  force  behind  the 
breastworks.  But  the  riflemen  have  opened  on 
the  regiment  nearest  to  them,"  added  the  cap 
tain,  as  the  crack  of  a  rifle  was  heard  on  the 
other  hill,  not  more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
distant. 

Other  shots  followed  in  rapid  succession;  but 
they  were  fired  one  at  a  time,  in  accordance  with 
Captain  Ripley's  tactics. 


200  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XX 

THE    FLOWING    TIDE    OF    THE    ENEMY'S    RETREAT 

BOTH  of  the  officers  on"  the  hill  brought  their 
field-glasses  to  their  eyes,  and  directed  them  to 
the  regiment  in  the  meadow,  which  was  having 
more  difficulty  in  advancing  than  before ;  for 
near  the  higher  ground  the  cattle  had  cut  up 
the  sod  much  more  than  farther  off.  The  men 
scattered  about  more  in  their  efforts  to  avoid 
the  soft  places. 

"  Those  men  fire  with  remarkable  precision," 
said  Captain  Woodbine.  "A  soldier  drops  at 
every  shot  they  fire,  and  they  discharge  their 
rifles  at  the  rate  of  at  least  ten  shots  a  minute." 

"  They  can't  stand  that  long,"  added  the  major. 

As  he  spoke,  the  regiment  broke  into  a  run 
for  the  woods.  They  gave  no  further  attention 
to  the  picking  of  their  way,  and  struggled  in  the 
mire  towards  the  high  ground;  but  the  merciless 
riflemen  did  not  suspend  their  fire,  and  the  sol- 


FLOWING   TIDE   OF   THE   ENEMY'S   RETREAT      261 

diers  continued  to  fall  as  the  regiment  advanced. 
In  a  few  minutes  it  looked  as  though  half  the 
first  company  had  fallen,  either  killed  or  wounded. 

The  second  company,  and  those  in  the  rear 
of  it,  faced  about,  and  retreated;  and,  having  a 
better  sod  than  those  nearer  the  hill,  they  ran 
with  all  the  speed  they  could  command,  though 
some  of  them  sank  down  in  the  mire,  and  were 
pulled  out  by  their  companions.  When  they 
had  fallen  back  out  of  rifle-range,  they  directed 
their  flight  towards  the  pike. 

The  regiment  in  the  rear  halted  when  they 
saw  the  flight  of  the  one  in  front  of  it.  It  was 
too  far  off  for  accurate  firing.  The  men  seemed 
to  be  appalled  at  the  flight  of  the  other  regi 
ment  ;  and  through  their  glasses  the  two  officers 
could  see  that  the  commanding  officer  was  mak 
ing  a  speech  to  his  men,  but  neither  of  them 
could  see  the  extent  of  the  casualties  of  the  re 
treating  command. 

Doubtless  the  colonel  of  the  regiment,  ashamed 
of  the  conduct  of  the  fleeing  infantry,  was  rally 
ing  his  men  for  the  advance ;  for  presently  it 
resumed  its  march.  But  at  that  moment  a  new 


262  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

factor  in  the  contest  was  presented  to  the  aide- 
de-camp.  The  roar  of  a  heavy  gun  was  heard 
in  the  direction  of  the  intrenchment,  and  both 
of  the  spectators  on  the  hill  looked  in  that  di 
rection.  A  cloud  of  smoke  rose  in  the  air,  and 
at  the  same  moment,  almost,  the  explosion  of 
a  shell  was  seen  on  the  riflemen's  hill.  The 
branches  of  the  trees  were  cut  off  and  twisted, 
and  the  sharpshooters  rushed  down  the  declivity 
as  though  their  own  weapons  had  been  turned 
against  them. 

"  Those  riflemen  have  probably  never  been  in 
a  battle  before,"  said  the  captain,  apparently  un 
moved  by  the  sight  that  greeted  his  eyes. 

"I  should  hardly  expect  to  see  them  stand 
up  against  that  sort  of  thing,"  added  the  major. 
"I  never  saw  a  shell  explode  before,  and  it  must 
be  very  trying  to  the  nerves  of  an  inexperienced 
soldier." 

"He  gets  used  to  it  after  a  time.  But  that 
shell  must  have  killed  or  wounded  some  of 
Captain  Ripley's  command,  though  neither  shells 
nor  bullets  are  so  destructive  to  human  life  as 
they  appear  to  be  at  first." 


K    SHAHI'SHOOTKRS    Ul'SHKI)    DOW.V    'J'HK    DKCUVITY. 


FLOWING   TIDE   OF   THE   ENEMY'S   RETBEAT      263 

"  I  don't  understand  how  that  shell  happened 
to  be  fired  into  the  hill,  for  they  could  not  see 
into  the  meadow  where  so  many  have  fallen," 
said  the  major. 

"  The  information  was  probably  sent  into  the 
fort  by  some  officer  on  duty  on  the  pike,  near 
the  earthworks,  with  an  order  to  shell  the  second 
hill.  But  I  think  you  had  better  return  to  your 
command,  for  your  cavalry  may  be  wanted  at 
any  time,"  suggested  the  captain. 

"  That  colonel  has  rallied  his  men,  and  they 
are  now  marching  very  steadily  towards  the 
higher  land,"  said  the  major,  as  he  rose  from 
the  seat  on  a  rock  he  had  occupied. 

"  Ripley  has  done  better  than  I  expected,  and 
he  appears  to  have  placed  his  men  again.  No 
doubt  the  bursting  of  the  shell  so  near  them 
startled  his  force,  and  the  riflemen  fled  from  im 
pulse,"  continued  the  staff-officer.  "  But  he  is  a 
brave  old  man,  at  any  rate ;  for  he  has  mounted 
to  the  highest  point  of  the  hill,  and  he  is  watch 
ing  the  fort  with  all  his  eyes.  It  is  a  dangerous 
position,  and  I  am  afraid  there  will  be  a  military 
funeral  soon  at  Millers ville." 


A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

But  he  was  shielded  by  a  large  tree  on  the 
summit  of  the  hill  in  the  direction  of  the  enemy, 
and  was  giving  his  whole  attention  to  the  in- 
trenchments.  The  captain  was  observing  the  regi 
ment  which  was  now  rapidly  approaching  high 
ground,  though  it  had  moved  much  farther  from 
the  pike  than  the  first. 

The  major  had  mounted  his  horse,  and  was 
about  to  rejoin  his  squadron. 

Before  he  started,  and  when  the  approaching 
force  was  beginning  to  mount  the  bank,  the  rifles 
were  heard  again,  and  the  leading  men  of  the 
first  company  dropped  from  the  bank.  Not  more 
than  three  or  four  shots  had  been  fired  before  a 
tremendous  yell  was  heard  coming  from  the  rifle 
men's  hill,  and  the  sharpshooters  fled  down  the 
slope.  It  appeared  as  though  Captain  Ripley  had 
watched  the  fort  for  a  purpose,  and,  when  he 
saw  the  flash  of  the  great  gun,  had  ordered  his 
men  to  run,  and  they  had  done  so.  They  had 
no  time  to  spare,  but  they  had  a  second  to 
spare  before  the  shell  exploded. 

It  did  not  appear  that  any  one  was  hurt ;  at 
least,  no  one  fell.  The  captain  observed  the  rifle- 


FLOWING   TIDE   OF   THE   ENEMY'S   RETKEAT      265 

men  with  the  utmost  intensity;  and  as  soon  as 
the  missile  had  spent  its  power,  the  men  sprang 
part  way  up  the  hill,  and  placed  themselves  be 
hind  the  trees.  The  first  company  had  obtained 
a  footing  on  the  hard  ground,  and  the  first  thing 
they  did  was  to  form  and  march  at  the  double- 
quick  towards  the  hill  from  which  the  death- 
dealing  balls  had  come. 

Major  Lyon  was  a  prudent  as  well  as  a  brave 
man,  and  he  galloped  his  horse  away  from  the 
spot  with  all  decent  celerity  ;  for  to  remain  there 
another  minute  was  almost  certain  death.  The 
staff-officer  was  too  old  a  soldier  to  get  excited 
at  such  a  time,  but  he  kept  a  tree  between  him 
self  and  the  approaching  company  of  Confeder 
ates.  The  riflemen  opened  before  the  company 
could  fairly  form ;  and,  as  the  distance  for  such 
riflemen  was  insignificant,  a  man  fell  with  every 
rifle  that  was  fired. 

The  fall  of  these  men  in  the  first  rank,  every 
one  of  whom  was  dropped,  seemed  to  madden 
the  men  behind  them,  and  they  rushed  forward 
on  the  run;  but  Ripley's  policy  was  most  dis 
astrous  to  them,  for  the  second  rank  of  four 


266  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

soldiers  fell,  either  killed  or  badly  wounded.  At 
this  time  Major  Lyon,  in  obedience  to  an  order 
from  Captain  Woodbine,  with  his  entire  squadron 
galloped  upon  the  scene  of  action.  Captain  Gor 
don  charged  into  the  first  company  of  the  regi 
ment  of  infantry. 

The  first  platoon,  under  Lieutenant  Belthorpe, 
struck  the  head  of  the  column  as  it  hastened 
forward  to  dislodge  the  sharpshooters,  whose  fire 
was  so  destructive  to  them ;  and  Lieutenant 
Lyon,  with  the  second  platoon,  took  the  company 
on  the  flank.  This  charge,  so  far  as  the  first 
company  of  the  Confederates  was  concerned, 
threw  the  riflemen  out  of  the  battle ;  for  their 
bullets  were  in  danger  of  bringing  down  some 
of  the  blue  as  well  as  the  gray. 

Captain  Ripley  perceived  this  difficulty,  and 
ordered  his  men,  as  usual,  by  passing  the  word 
from  mouth  to  mouth  along  his  line,  for  his 
men  to  give  their  attention  to  the  second  com 
pany  of  the  enemy's  infantry,  which  had  just 
begun  to  mount  the  bank  from  the  low  ground. 
Colonel  Wolford,  in  command  of  the  First  Ken 
tucky  Cavalry,  was  in  another  part  of  the  field, 


FLOWING   TIDE   OF   THE   ENEMY'S    RETREAT     267 

pursuing  the  retreating  regiments  in  their  ten 
miles  of  flight  from  the  hills,  where  the  brunt 
of  the  action  had  been  fought;  and  Major  Lyon 
was  in  charge  of  the  detachment  sent  to  assist 
in  flanking  the  enemy  in  this  quarter. 

The  staff-officer  had  ordered  up  this  cavalry. 
He  had  mounted  his  horse,  and  given  the  order 
in  person,  going  on  the  field  in  actual  command 
of  the  force,  leading  it  to.  the  point  where  the 
second  company  were  mounting  the  bank.  Por 
tions  of  the  enemy's  army  had  been  well  drilled, 
though  this  could  not  be  said  of  all ;  and  Gen 
eral  Crittenden  in  his  reports  lamented  the  want 
of  discipline  in  some  of  his  regiments.  General 
Schoepf  was  more  emphatic  and  decided  in  re 
gard  to  this  same  want  of  drill  on  the  part  of 
the  Union  mounted  men.  In  the  report  of  a 
skirmish  he  says  :  - 

"  The  cavalry  under  my  command,  as  usual, 
behaved  badly.  They  are  a  nuisance,  and  the 
sooner  they  are  disbanded  the  better.  ...  Is 
there  no  such  thing  as  obtaining  a  regiment  of 
reliable  cavalry  ?  Such  a  regiment  is  indispen 
sable  with  this  brigade  at  this  time.  The  absence 


268  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

of  such  troops  has  kept  me  in  the  saddle  until 
I  am  nearly  worn  down  with  fatigue." 

Such  remarks  could  not  have  been  made  of 
the  Riverlawn  Squadron ;  for  its  men  had  been  as 
thoroughly  drilled  as  those  in  the  regular  army, 
and  the  character  of  its  troopers  was  much  better 
than  the  average.  It  is  not  strange  that  there 
should  have  been  a  foundation  for  the  severe 
comments  of  the  general  in  the  case  of  men  en 
listed,  and  almost  immediately  hurried  into  actual 
service,  as  was  necessary  in  some  parts  of  the 
State,  though  his  caustic  strictures  were  not 
applicable  to  all  the  mounted  men  of  Kentucky. 

Such  ruffians  as  those  against  whom  the  bat 
tle  of  Riverlawn  was  fought,  at  an  earlier  stage 
of  the  war,  had  found  their  way  to  a  greater 
or  less  extent  into  the  Union  army.  But,  what 
ever  might  have  been  truly  said  of  portions  of 
the  cavalry,  it  was  not  true  of  the  companies 
of  the  First  Kentucky  Cavalry;  for  in  spite  of 
their  need  of  more  drill,  they  were  brave  and 
good  men,  and  fought  like  heroes  when  they 
had  their  chance  at  the  enemy. 

Captain  Woodbine   led  them  into  action  him- 


FLOWING   TIDE   OP   THE   ENEMY'S   RETREAT      269 

self,  though  he  was  ably  supported  by  the  regular 
officers.  They  made  an  impetuous  charge  while 
the  riflemen  were  picking  off  the  men  in  the  rear 
of  the  actual  fighting.  The  havoc  was  so  great 
that  the  infantry  could  not  stand  it,  and  they 
began  to  fall  back  to  the  rear.  Then  they  fled 
to  the  west,  in  spite  of  the  efforts  of  their  offi 
cers  to  rally  them,  as  had  been  the  case  on  the 
field  in  many  instances  that  day. 

The  fierce  charge  of  the  Riverlawns  was  too 
much  for  the  first  company  of  the  enemy,  out 
numbered  two  to  one.  This  was  the  first  time 
that  the  squadron  had  met  infantry  in  the  field, 
and  their  opponents  were  well  drilled  in  resisting 
the  attack  of  mounted  men.  But  they  soon  be 
gan  to  fall  back,  and  retreated  to  the  hill  where 
Captain  Woodbine  had  observed  the  first  part  of 
the  struggle.  The  cavalry  could  not  operate  to 
advantage  here  on  account  of  the  roughness  of 
the  ground,  and  the  trees.  They  resorted  to  the 
carbine,  and  kept  up  an  effective  fire. 

The  first  company  passed  up  the  hill;  but 
it  did  not  pause  there,  but  began  the  descent 
on  the  other  side,  which  would  bring  them  to 


270  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  pike,  near  the  breastworks  of  Beech  Grove. 
A  shell  burst  on  the  sharpshooters'  eminence ;  but 
Captain  Ripley  resorted  to  his  former  expedient, 
and  the  way  was  now  clear  for  his  men  to  re 
treat  to  the  level  ground  below  for  the  moment. 

The  second  company  of  the  infantry  on  the 
meadow  had  retreated  to  the  woods,  half  a  mile 
away,  perhaps  hoping  to  find  a  passage  through 
to  their  works.  At  Mill  Springs  the  Cumber 
land  River  makes  a  turn  at  right  angles  with 
its  course  below,  flowing  from  the  north  to  the 
south  for  about  two  miles.  The  Confederate 
breastworks  extended  across  the  neck  of  land 
formed  by  the  river  and  a  stream  on  the  west 
for  two  miles.  The  camp  occupied  by  the  enemy 
before  the  battle  was  protected  by  water  on  three 
sides. 

The  example  of  the  second  company  on  the 
meadow  was  followed  by  the  others,  and  for  the 
present  they  were  all  out  of  the  action.  The 
first  company  appeared  to  have  lost  at  least  one- 
fourth  of  its  men ;  but  it  had  fought  all  there 
was  of  the  action.  The  Riverlawn  charge  had 
disordered  its  men;  but  they  had  gone  in  tol- 


FLOWING   TIDE   OF   THE   ENEMY'S   RETREAT      271 

erably  good  order  up  the  hill,  and  had  begun  the 
descent  of  it,  while  the  squadron  were  picking 
off  the  men  with  their  carbines. 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon,  go  around  the  hill,  and  take 
them  on  the  flank  as  they  come  down !  "  shouted 
Captain  Gordon. 

Deck  obeyed  the  order  promptly ;  and  his  men 
were  full  of  enthusiasm  as  they  followed  him. 
The  roughness  of  the  hill  had  impeded  the  move 
ment  of  the  enemy's  company,  and  the  second 
platoon  of  the  cavalry  was  in  season  to  attack 
them.  The  foot-soldiers  used  their  bayonets,  and 
for  a  few  minutes  there  was  a  terrific  struggle. 
But  before  any  result  could  be  reached,  a  mob 
of  the  enemy's  infantry  and  cavalry  rushed  into 
the  space  between  the  road  and  the  pike,  carry 
ing  friends  and  enemies  with  it,  as  before  the 
sweep  of  a  tidal  wave  on  a  stormy  sea. 

This  disorderly  body,  coming  from  the  pike  and 
from  the  field  beyond,  carried  all  before  it,  and 
the  second  platoon  of  the  Riverlawns  could  not 
understand  the  cause  of  the  sudden  commotion. 
The  roar  of  artillery,  not  distant  from  them,  soon 
revealed  the  cause  of  the  stampede.  The  bat- 


272      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

teries  of  the  Union  army  had  moved  forward 
just  before  dark;  and  volleys  of  grape  or  shell 
would  have  made  a  fearful  slaughter  among  the 
disordered  bodies  of  the  retreating  enemy,  and 
they  had  fled  in  the  utmost  confusion. 


DECK   FINDS    HIMSELF    IN   A   TIGHT   PLACE      273 


CHAPTER   XXI 

DECK   FINDS    HIMSELF   IN   A   TIGHT  PLACE 

THE  enemy  were  utterly  demoralized,  crazed 
with  terror,  devoid  of  reason  and  common-sense. 
The  Mississippi,  Alabama,  and  most  of  the  Ten 
nessee  regiments  of  the  Southern  army  were  dis 
ciplined  and  steady  troops  in  which  such  a 
panic  would  have  been  impossible ;  but  there  were 
others  even  worse  than  those  described  by  Gen 
eral  Schoepf,  and  the  latter  were  always  in  the 
advance  during  a  retreat.  It  was  such  as  these 
that  formed  the  rabble  seeking  to  obtain  shelter 
behind  the  breastworks. 

In  the  mob  reason  was  dethroned,  and  even 
common-sense  had  taken  wings;  for  the  fleeing 
mass  were  in  more  danger  from  each  other  than 
from  the  fire  of  the  artillery,  and  whole  sections 
of  them  were  borne  down  by  those  pressing  for 
ward  from  the  rear,  and  were  crushed  by  the 
feet  of  men  and  horses. 


274  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

Deck  attempted  to  resist  the  flow  of  the  tide 
towards  the  works  ;  but  he  might  as  well  have 
tried  to  counteract  the  great  bore  of  the  Ama 
zon.  His  sabre  was  in  his  hand ;  but  he  had  not 
the  heart  to  use  it  upon  the  terrified  mass,  who 
had  thrown  away  their  muskets  and  knapsacks 
on  the  field,  because  they  impeded  their  flight. 
A  battery  of  artillery  in  retreating  had  mired 
one  of  its  guns  in  one  of  the  soft  places  in  the 
field,  and  had  abandoned  it,  as  stated  by  Gen 
eral  Crittenden. 

"With  his  great  strength,  assisted  by  a  few 
others,  Sergeant  Knox  had  striven  to  open  a 
way  for  the  escape  of  the  platoon  to  their  for 
mer  position ;  but  they  struggled  in  vain  against 
the  crazy  and  senseless  mob.  A  company  or 
platoon  of  Confederate  cavalry  had  forced  its  way 
into  the  crowd  nearly  to  the  ground  occupied  by 
Deck's  force,  though  they  had  used  their  sabres 
to  accomplish  it.  Life  had  pushed  his  horse  for 
ward  in  the  direction  he  wished  to  go;  but  the 
mob  seized  the  animal's  bridle  to  save  them 
selves,  and,  by  stress  of  numbers,  had  crowded 
him  back. 


DECK  FIMDS   HIMSELF   IN  A  TIGHT   PLACE     275 

One  of  the  openings  in  the  breastworks  was 
near  the  spot;  and  the  rabble  in  front  of  the 
cavalrymen  pushed  forward,  and  entered  the  in- 
trenchments,  thus  making  way  for  those  behind 
them.  But  that  was  not  the  direction  Deck  and 
his  command  wished  to  go,  and  they  resisted 
the  mob  as  long  as  they  could. 

"I  think  we  shall  have  to  use  our  cheese- 
knives,"  suggested  Life,  as  they  were  crowded 
forward  in  the  passage  to  the  fort. 

"No,  Life!  That  would  be  a  terrible  slaughter 
of  unarmed  men,  and  I  will  not  do  it,"  replied 
Deck.  "I  would  rather  be  taken  prisoner  than 
murder  these  helpless  and  terrified  people." 

"  Threaten  them  with  the  pistols  if  they  don't 
get  out  of  the  way,"  the  sergeant  proposed. 
"  They  are  jamming  us  into  the  .fort." 

"  You  might  as  well  threaten  them  with  the 
pistols  if  they  don't  fly  away  up  into  the  air, 
for  they  can't  move,"  returned  the  lieutenant. 
"  This  is  not  a  battle  ;  only  a  struggle  for  life 
on  the  part  of  the  retreating  enemy." 

Life  said  no  more.  The  space  between  the 
platoon  and  the  hill  from  which  the  infantry 


276  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

had  retreated,  and  which  Deck  had  attempted  to 
flank,  was  full  of  men  retreating  from  the  grape 
of  the  artillery  which  had  now  opened  upon 
them,  full  of  struggling  forms  intent  upon  reach 
ing  the  shelter  of  the  breastworks.  There  was 
no  passage  there. 

"Lef tenant,  the  rest  of  the  squadron  is  formed 
near  the  hill,  and  they  are  draggin'  in  squads 
of  prisoners,"  said  Life  Knox. 

"  Are  they  using   their  sabres  ?  "   asked  Deck. 

"No;  they  have  sheathed  them,  and  all  they 
do  is  to  shove  'em  in  like  city  policemen." 

"  Neither  the  staff-officer  nor  my  father 
would  shoot  or  cut  down  unarmed  and  unresist 
ing  men ;  but  perhaps  they  expect  to  capture 
the  whole  army  at  a  later  hour.  I  can't  do 
what  they  will  not  do,"  added  the  lieutenant. 
"But"  — 

He  did  not  say  what  he  intended,  for  the  cav 
alry  company,  which  had  forced  its  way  into  the 
midst  of  the  crowd,  began  to  drive  their  horses 
forward,  the  rabble  behind  them  pressing  on 
in  that  direction.  The  pressure  was  too  great 
for  the  Riverlawns  to  withstand,  and  they  were 


DECK   FINDS    HIMSELF   IN   A   TIGHT   PLACE      277 

pushed  forward  in  spite  of  their  best  efforts  to 
hold  their  ground. 

"We  might  as  well  go  with  the  tide,  Life," 
said  Deck  hopelessly,  as  he  gave  way  to  the 
pressure. 

"No  man  can  help  hisself  here,"  replied  the 
sergeant. 

"We  may  as  well  make  way  for  this  rabble," 
added  the  lieutenant.  "  They  will  shove  each 
other  away  from  the  entrance,  and  when  the 
coast  is  clear  we  will  take  our  chance  of  getting 
out  of  the  fort." 

Life  Knox  yielded  the  point ;  for,  if  they  were 
not  to  cut  their  way  through  the  crowd,  this 
was  absolutely  the  only  thing  they  could  do. 
They  were  pressed  forward  into  the  intrench- 
ment.  Deck  observed  as  he  gave  way  to  the 
pressure  behind  him  that  the  soldiers  from  the 
field,  or  near  it,  —  for  not  a  few  had  not  been  in 
the  battle,  —  hastened  from  the  entrance  to  the 
works,  towards  the  middle  of  it;  in  fact,  they 
were  ordered  to  do  so  by  the  guard  in  charge  of 
the  camp,  which  extended  for  over  a  mile  across 
the  tongue  of  land  formed  by  the  Cumberland 


278  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

and  the  creek  that  flowed  into  it  near  Roberts- 
port. 

Lieutenant  Lyon  did  not  follow  the  example 
of  the  fugitives,  and  there  was  still  nothing  but  a 
rabble  near  the  entrance ;  and  the  guard,  with  its 
officers,  were  a  considerable  distance  from  him, 
and  could  give  his  command  no  orders.  In 
stead  of  doing  as  others  did,  he  led  his  force  to 
the  verge  of  the  great  river,  down  to  which  the 
high  banks,  amounting  almost  to  cliffs,  descended 
at  an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees. 

The  lieutenant  could  do  nothing,  but  he  kept 
up  a  tremendous  thinking  all  the  time.  By  this 
time  he  was  conscious  that  he  had  been  forced 
into  a  tight  place.  He  reined  in  his  steed  when 
he  had  advanced  perhaps  the  third  of  a  mile 
across  the  camp,  defended  by  the  breastworks, 
and  gave  the  order  for  his  men  to  halt;  but  it 
was  not  spoken  with  his  customary  vim,  for  he 
was  somewhat  depressed  by  the  situation. 

He  was  in  a  Confederate  camp,  and  all  his 
powers  of  mind  were  directed  towards  the  means 
of  getting  out  of  it;  for  it  would  have  broken 
his  heart  to  hand  over  his  fifty  men  as  prisoners 


DECK   FINDS   HIMSELF   IN   A   TIGHT   PLACE      279 

to  a  Southern  officer.  He  looked  at  the  entrance  ; 
but  that  was  as  crowded  as  at  any  time  before, 
and  it  was  impossible  for  him  to  march  out  that 
way.  Then  he  looked  down  the  steep  and  lofty 
banks  of  the  Cumberland.  His  horses  and  those 
of  his  troopers  could  swim  like  fishes ;  for  it  had 
been  a  part  of  the  drill  at  Riverlawn  to  exercise 
the  animals  in  the  water,  and  they  had  often 
crossed  Bar  Creek  with  their  riders  on  their 
backs,  and  they  had  even  swam  them  over  the 
Green  River,  though  never  in  the  rapids. 

Deck  considered  a  plan  for  descending  the 
banks  to  the  stream,  swimming  the  horses  a  mile 
or  two  down  the  river,  and  then  of  escaping 
across  the  country  to  the  position  of  the  rest  of 
the  squadron.  He  was  about  to  ask  Sergeant 
Knox  for  his  opinion,  when  the  company  of 
Confederate  cavalry  which  had  been  next  to  his 
force  outside  the  works  rode  over  to  the  side 
of  the  camp  he  had  chosen,  and  halted  a  few 
rods  from  his  position. 

But  this  body  did  not  seem  to  be  in  a  bel 
ligerent  mood,  and  did  not  appear  to  take  much 
notice  of  the  platoon.  Possibly  they  were  ashamed 


280  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

of  their  conduct  on  the  field;  for  they  had  been 
the  first  of  the  enemy's  cavalry  to  arrive  at  the. 
works,  and  they  must  have  been  among  the  first 
to  run  away.  The  men  did  not  look  like  a  fair 
specimen  of  the  cavalry  of  the  other  side  which 
the  troopers  had  seen. 

"We  must  get  out  of  this  place  somehow," 
said  Deck  to  the  orderly  sergeant,  who  had 
brought  up  a  little  behind  him. 

"I  don't  believe  there  is  many  more  outside 
who  want  to  get  into  this  place,"  replied  Life ; 
"and  I  reckon  the  major  will  be  looking  this 
way  for  us,  for  he  couldn't  help  seeing  that  we 
had  been  crowded  in  here." 

"I  don't  see  that  he  can  do  anything  for  us, 
unless  he  fights  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy 
outside ;  and  I  know  they  are  not  all  cowards, 
like  some  of  these  fellers  what  worked  harder 
to  get  into  this  fort  than  they  would  to  git  inter 
the  kingdom  o'  heaven,"  answered  Life. 

"I  don't  look  for  any  help  from  the  rest  of 
the  squadron.  If  we  don't  get  out  on  our  own 
hook  I  think  we  shall  have  to  stay  here,"  replied 
Deck.  "What  do  you  think  of  escaping  by  the 


DECK:  FINDS  HIMSELF  i]sr  A  TIGHT  PLACE    281 

river?  We  can  easily  swim  the  horses  down 
the  stream  a  mile  or  two ;  for  there  is  not  much 
current  near  the  shore,  though  it  is  strong  in 
the  middle  of  the  river." 

The  sergeant  rode  over  to  the  high,  bank,  and 
looked  it  over  in  an  apparently  careless  manner, 
so  as  not  to  attract  attention,  as  far  up  as  the 
great  bend  just  above  Mill  Springs.  He  shook 
his  head  significantly  as  he  resumed  his  former 
position. 

"  The  swimmin'  is  all  right  after  you  git  the 
hosses  inter  the  water;  but  you've  got  to  crack 
the  nut  afore  you  kin  eat  it,  Leftenant." 

"Is  there  any  difficulty  in  cracking  the  nut?" 
asked  Deck. 

"  I  reckon  that's  whar  all  the  diffikilty  comes 
in.  It  has  rained  like  Niagery  for  two  days, 
and  it  has  been  doin'  not  quite  so  bad  all  this 
afternoon.  Them  banks  is  as  soft  as  an  Injun 
bannock  half  baked;  and  there  ain't  no  foot 
hold  for  hosses.  I  wouldn't  resk  it  for  two  per 
cent  a  month,"  returned  Life  very  decidedly. 

Probably  the  sergeant  was  correct  in  his  view, 
though  Deck  thought  still  that  it  was  practica- 


282  A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

ble.  General  Crittenden  swam  his  cavalry  over 
the  river  in  the  night,  but  some  of  his  men  and 
horses  were  drowned  in  the  attempt.  He  found 
the  descent  of  the  steep  banks  a  great  obstacle 
to  his  retreat.  But  the  crowd  at  the  entrance 
to  the  intrenchment  had  diminished  considerably, 
and  the  lieutenant  began  to  think  he  could  cut 
his  way  to  it  with  less  peril  than  he  could  swim 
his  force  in  the  river,  especially  as  it  was  begin 
ning  to  be  dark. 

Another  circumstance  came  in  the  way  of  the 
execution  of  the  plan.  Perhaps  the  company  of 
cavalry  near  him  had  noted  the  examination  of 
the  banks  of  the  river  by  the  lieutenant  and 
the  sergeant,  and  may  have  had  a  suspicion  of 
what  was  passing  through  their  minds-.  At  least, 
it  soon  appeared  that  the  captain  of  the  company 
had  other  views  in  regard  to  the  disposal  of  the 
Riverlawns.  He  had  moved  his  command  nearer 
to  the  platoon,  and  stretched  it  across  the  camp 
some  little  distance. 

A  little  later,  a  mounted  Confederate  officer 
rode  to  this  end  of  the  line.  He  looked  over 
the  Southern  company  first,  and  asked  to  what 


DECK   FINDS   HIMSELF   IN   A   TIGHT  PLACE      283 

regiment  it  belonged.  Deck  could  not  hear  the 
reply  in  full,  but  only  that  it  was  a  Tennessee 
regiment.  Then  he  rode  a  little  farther,  and 
seemed  to  be  somewhat  astonished  when  he  saw 
a  force  wearing  the  blue. 

"  What  is  that  force  in  the  corner,  Captain  ?  " 
he  asked  of  the  officer  to  whom  he  had  spoken 
before,  while  he  continued  to  observe  the  body 
in  blue. 

"It  is  a  Yankee  platoon  of  fifty  men  that  we 
captured  a  mile  or  more  from  the  breastwork," 
replied  the  Confederate  captain ;  and  it  could  be 
seen  that  his  men  smiled  when  he  gave  this 
reply. 

"To  what  regiment  do  these  troopers  belong?" 

"I  don't  know  certainly,  but  I  reckon  it  was 
a  Kentucky  regiment." 

"How  happened  you  to  capture  half  a  com 
pany,  and  not  the  whole  of  it  ? " 

"Well,  you  see,  Major,  the  Kentucky  regiment 
had  better  horses  than  our  Tennessee  regiment, 
and  they  worried  us  a  heap.  We  were  retreating, 
for  we  had  been  flanked  by  a  force  four  times  as 
big  as  ours,  and  this  regiment  pursued  us.  Our 


284  A    LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

regiment  turned  on  them,  and  whipped  them 
soundly.  My  company  was  fighting  this  platoon, 
and  we  surrounded  them,  and  made  them  pris 
oners." 

"  Was  that  Kentucky  regiment  of  cavalry  full  ?  " 
asked  the  major,  with  a  frown  on  his  brow. 

"  It  was,  Major,  for  I  counted  the  ten  com 
panies,"  returned  the  captain  without  wincing. 
"  This  platoon  fought  like  wildcats ;  but  my  men 
stood  up  to  the  work  like  heroes,  as  they  are ; 
and  when  we  had  surrounded  them,  they  could 
not  help  themselves,  and  we  drove  them  before 
us  to  the  camp." 

"  I  have  no  doubt  that  you  will  be  promoted 
to  the  rank  of  brigadier-general  for  your  meri 
torious  service ;  but  my  information  differs  some 
what  from  yours,  for  I  have  learned  that  the 
only  Kentucky  cavalry  on  the  field  was  four 
companies  of  the  First,  four  others  being  on 
detached  duty  on  the  Millersville  Road." 

"But  you  see,  Major,  my  informant  may  have 
given  me  incorrect  reports,"  stammered  the  cap 
tain. 

"Who   was    your    informant,    Captain?      You 


DECK   FINDS   HIMSELF   IN   A   TIGHT   PLACE      285 

counted  the  companies  of  the  Kentucky  regiment 
yourself." 

"  I  may  have  been  "  — 

"  Probably  you  have  been ;  but  you  have  said 
enough.  I  have  heard  from  your  company  be 
fore  to-day,"  added  the  major,  as  he  rode  over  to 
Lieutenant  Lyon.  "  Did  you  surrender  to  Cap 
tain  Staggers  yonder?" 

"  I  did  not !  "  replied  Deck  with  abundant 
emphasis. 

"Did  you  hear  what  passed  between  him  and 
me?" 

"  Every  word  of  it." 

"  Was  anything  the  captain  said  true  ?  " 

"  Not  a  word  of  it !  And  you  will  excuse  me, 
Major,  but  I  intend  to  cut  my  way  out  of  this 
camp  !  "  shouted  the  lieutenant,  loud  enough  to 
be  heard  by  all  his  troopers,  and  they  straightened 
themselves  up  for  the  work. 

"  Platoon  —  charge  !  " 

At  full  gallop  the  force  started  for  the  en 
trance,  now  not  obstructed. 


286  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XXII 

A   LIEUTENANT    AMONG   THE    "MISSING" 

MAJOR  WALTHAL  was  very  gentlemanly  and 
very  polite ;  but  it  appeared  at  once  that  he  was 
not  willing  to  permit  the  escape  of  the  platoon, 
good-looking  and  well-dressed  as  were  the  officer 
and  the  men.  He  could  not  help  observing  the 
contrast  between  the  Riverlawns  and  the  Confed 
erate  company  near  them.  Captain  Gordon,  who 
had  been  the  principal  instructor  of  the  squadron, 
was  very  neat  and  precise  about  his  person,  and 
had  always  required  the  troopers  to  keep  their 
uniforms  and  arms  and  their  horses,  with  their 
equipments,  in  good  condition. 

On  the  contrary,  this  particular  company  of  the 
enemy  presented  a  slovenly  appearance ;  quite  in 
contrast,  also,  with  some  other  regiments  of  their 
army.  The  major  was  a  soldier  of  the  highest 
type,  and  he  could  not  fail  to  see  the  neatness 
of  the  Riverlawns.  Very  likely  he  was  sorry  to 


A   LIEUTENANT   AMONG   THE   "  MISSING  "      287 

prevent  the  young  lieutenant  from  carrying  out 
his  intention  to  leave  the  camp;  but  his  ideal 
as  a  military  officer  was  to  do  his  duty. 

Deck's  troopers  had  drawn  their  sabres ;  and, 
with  Life  Knox  in  front,  they  made  an  impetu 
ous  rush  towards  the  entrance.  The  sergeant 
was  even  more  in  earnest  than  usual ;  his  horse 
was  well  trained,  and  when  his  rider  pressed  his 
knees  against  his  flanks,  he  darted  off  with  fury 
enough  to  satisfy  the  determined  horseman. 

"  Halt !  "  shouted  the  major ;  but  he  might  as 
well  have  addressed  the  wind  or  the  rain.  "  Sur 
round  them,  Captain  Staggers,  as  you  did  on  the 
field!  Cut  off  their  retreat  if  there  is  any  man 
hood  left  in  you  !  " 

He  led  the  way  himself,  though  he  could  do 
nothing  more,  for  he  had  no  sabre ;  nothing  but 
his  dress  sword.  Perhaps  the  captain  felt  the 
necessity  of  redeeming  himself  after  the  number 
of  lies  he  had  told;  and  he  gave  the  order  to 
charge  the  impetuous  platoon,  leading  the  on 
slaught  in  person.  The  position  of  his  company 
was  nearer  to  the  entrance  than  that  of  Deck's 
command ;  but  Life  had  spotted  him,  and  rushed 
upon  him. 


288      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

In  spite  of  his  shouting,  there  was  little  vim 
in  the  movement  of  the  captain.  He  made  an 
awkward  cut  at  the  sergeant,  who  easily  parried 
it,  and  brought  the  sharp  edge  of  his  sabre  down 
upon  his  shoulder,  near  the  neck,  and  the  officer 
dropped  to  the  ground  as  though  a  bullet  had 
gone  through  his  brain.  His  horse  turned,  and 
had  nearly  upset  the  major  in  his  flight,  and  it 
was  evident  that  the  animal  was  not  accustomed 
to  this  kind  of  business.  If  the  major  could  have 
obtained  a  sabre,  he  would  have  done  better  work, 
and  perhaps  the  platoon  would  have  been  checked 
in  its  onward  movement. 

Deck,  mindful  of  the  many  lessons  in  prudence 
he  had  received  from  his  father  and  his  captain, 
had  taken  a  position  on  the  left  of  his  command ; 
but  the  enemy  were  not  there  at  that  moment, 
though  the  Confederate  troopers,  under  the  second 
lieutenant,  were  surrounding  the  Riverlawns  from 
the  rear  as  they  advanced.  Deck  realized  that 
whatever  was  done  must  be  accomplished  in  a 
moment  or  never,  and  he  could  not  restrain  him 
self,  but  galloped  to  the  front. 

Ceph,  his  horse,  began  to  put  his  education  into 


A   LIEUTENANT   AMONG   THE   "  MISSING  "      289 

practice,  and  stood  up  on  his  hind  feet  before  the 
first  trooper  that  came  in  front  of  him.  At  that 
moment  the  lieutenant  cleaved  the  skull  of  the 
man  in  twain.  The  enemy  did  not  fight  like  the 
Texan  Rangers  with  whom  the  young  officer  had 
been  pitted  before.  In  fact,  they  fell  back,  and 
began  to  use  their  pistols.  One  of  the  River- 
lawns  dropped  from  his  steed  with  his  face  cov 
ered  with  blood. ' 

The  lieutenant  saw  with  intense  regret  that 
this  man  was  Sergeant  Fronklyn;  but  he  was  ap 
parently  only  stunned  partially  by  the  bullet,  for 
he  sprang  to  his  feet  with  the  aid  of  a  comrade, 
though  his  horse  had  gone  with  the  forward 
movement  of  the  platoon,  and  was  out  of  his 
reach.  At  about  the  same  moment  the  second 
lieutenant  of  the  Southern  company,  who  was  a 
gigantic  Tennesseean,  led  his  platoon  to  the  left 
of  the  Riverlawns,  and  pushed  on  towards  their 
front. 

This  big  fellow  was  a  brave  man,  whatever 
might  be  said  of  the  greater  portion  of  his  com 
rades,  and  had  his  eye  on  Deck,  who  had  just 
brought  his  sabre  down  upon  the  trooper  whose 


290  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

head  he  had  split  in  twain.  The  Southron  dashed 
up  to  him,  and  levelled  a  blow  with  his  weapon 
at  the  head  of  the  young  officer,  just  as  the  latter 
was  turning  to  confront  the  enemy  in  his  rear. 
This  movement  evidently  disturbed  the  aim  of 
the  lieutenant,  and  turned  the  sabre  in  his  hand. 

But  the  blow  came  down  with  the  flat  side 
of  the  blade  upon  Deck's  head.  It  stunned  him, 
and  his  brain  whirled.  He  dropped  from  Ceph, 
just  as  that  intelligent  animal  rose  again  on  his 
hind  feet  to  confront  the  new  enemy;  but  there 
was  no  one  in  the  saddle  to  strike  the  blow  that 
might  have  killed  or  disabled  the  giant  who 
had  done  the  mischief  to  the  intrepid  young  offi 
cer.  Corporal  Tilford,  who  was  a  powerful  man, 
dashed  his  horse  against  the  Tennessee  lieuten 
ant,  and  struck  him  in  the  rear,  just  as  the  latter 
had  done  to  Deck.  His  aim  was  better,  and  lie 
did  not  permit  the  hilt  to  turn  in  his  hand,  and 
the  giant  finished  his  earthly  career  there 

Sergeant  Fronklyn,  though  wounded  himself, 
had  strength  enough  to  drag  his  officer  to  one 
side  of  the  platoon,  so  that  his  form  might  not 
be  crushed  by  the  advance  of  horses'  feet.  The 


A  LIEUTENANT  AMONG   THE   "MISSING5'      291 

troopers  had  seen  the  fall  of  the  lieutenant,  and 
naturally  enough,  supposing  that  he  was  killed, 
were  excited  to  new  fury  by  the  disaster,  and 
rushed  upon  the  enemy,  who  were  crowding 
them  on  both  sides.  They  fought  with  an  im 
petuosity  which  the  enemy  could  not  withstand, 
and  a  large  portion  of  the  latter  justified  their 
record  for  that  day  by  running  away. 

There  were  individual  instances  of  bravery  on 
the  part  of  the  foe ;  but,  as  a  whole,  the  attack 
upon  the  Riverlawns  was  feeble  and  nerveless. 
It  was  fortunate  for  the  entrapped  platoon  that  it 
was  not  set  upon  by  some  other  company  of  the 
Confederate  cavalry,  rather  than  one  which  had 
run  away  from  the  field  of  battle ;  for  in  that 
case  they  might  all  have  been  prisoners  of  war. 

Sergeant  Knox  remained  at  the  head  of  the 
platoon,  and  after  he  had  struck  down  with  his 
powerful  right  arm  two  or  three  that  confronted 
him,  he  was  avoided  by  the  enemy;  but  he  con 
tinued  to  shout  encouraging  words  to  the  men, 
who  did  not  flinch  a  hair  from  the  troopers  that 
beset  them  in  double  their  own  numbers. 

"Now  forward,  my  boys!"  he  cried,  as  he  saw 


292  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

that  the  entrance  was  clear  for  the  passage  of  the 
body. 

The  men  pressed  on,  upsetting  the  enemy  in 
their  path,  though  most  of  them  had  fallen  back 
out  of  the  reach  of  the  sabres  of  the  Riverlawns ; 
and  with  this  renewed  effort  they  passed  through 
the  entrance  and  out  of  the  intrenchments.  But 
they  had  no  sooner  reached  the  outside  of  the 
works  than  they  discovered  the  rest  of  the  squad 
ron  in  a  fight  at  the  foot  of  the  first  hill,  with  a 
whole  regiment  of  Confederate  cavalry.  Captain 
Woodbine  had  occupied  this  hill  at  the  beginning 
of  the  fight  in  this  section,  and  on  it  Captain 
Ripley  and  his  riflemen  had  been  posted  later. 

The  two  companies  of  the  First  Kentucky  were 
moving  forward;  but  there  was  not  room  enough 
for  them  to  manoeuvre.  As  usual,  the  sharp 
shooters  were  making  havoc  in  the  ranks  of  the 
regiment,  and  the  head  of  the  column  was  fall 
ing  back  to  escape  the  deadly  rifle-balls.  Life 
halted  his  platoon,  and  looked  them  over,  puff 
ing  like  a  steam-engine  from  the  violence  of  his 
excitement  and  the  fury  of  his  exertions  to  save 
the  command.  The  prospect  before  him  was  not 


A   LIEUTENANT   AMONG   THE   "  MISSING  "      293 

encouraging,  for  the  enemy  had  some  troops  out 
side  of  the  works. 

"  Where  is  Leftenant  Lyon  ?  "  demanded  he  of 
Corporal  Tilford,  as  the  latter  rode  up  to  him  to 
give  him  information  in  regard  to  the  officer  in 
command  of  the  platoon. 

"  I  am  sorry  to  say  we  left  him  in  the  enemy's 
camp,"  replied  the  corporal. 

"  Left  him  there !  "  exclaimed  Life,  with  some 
thing  like  horror  in  his  expression.  "Was  he 
wounded  ?  " 

"Worse  than  that,  I  am  afraid,"  answered  his 

« 

informant. 

"You  don't  mean  to  say  he  was  killed,  Cor 
poral  ?  "  asked  Life,  looking  as  though  he  had  lost 
the  only  friend  he  had  in  the  world. 

"  I  don't  know  for  certain  that  he  was  killed, 
and  should  report  him  with  the  missing,"  replied 
the  corporal. 

"I  don't  understand  it,"  continued  the  ser 
geant.  "  The  lieutenant  was  always  able  to  take 
care  of  himself." 

"I  can  tell  you  just  how  it  was,  if  you  want 
to  hear  it  in  this  place,"  returned  Tilford,  as  he 


A  LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

looked  about  him,  and  discovered  a  company  of 
infantry  coming  out  of  the  fort,  and  another  ap 
proaching  across  the  field.  "We  shall  soon  be 
surrounded  here." 

The  sergeant  looked  about  him,  and  the  pros 
pect  near  the  fort  was  not  encouraging.  He  gave 
the  order  to  march,  and  led  the  way.  The  ground 
was  hard  here,  and  he  galloped  his  horse  at  his 
best  speed  towards  the  second  hill.  The  main 
body  of  the  Riverlawns  had  a  favorable  position 
between  the  first  hill  and  the  end  of  the  breast 
works.  The  enemy  had  come  down  the  pike. 
Between  the  two  hills  the  two  companies  of  the 
First  Kentucky  Cavalry  had  been  skilfully  posted 
by  the  senior  captain  when  he  found  that  there 
was  no  space  between  the  hill  and  the  intrench- 
ments  for  his  command. 

Major  Lyon,  as  it  was  afterwards  stated,  had 
started  to  the  entrance  of  the  fort,  for  the  pur 
pose  of  aiding  the  escape  of  the  second  platoon 
of  the  first  company.  Before  he  had  advanced 
more  than  a  few  rods,  his  force  had  been  at 
tacked  by  the  regiment  which  had  just  escaped 
from  the  field  of  battle.  They  had  been  ordered 


A   LIEUTENANT   AMONG   THE   "  MISSING  "      295 

by  some  superior  officer  on  the  ground  to  attack 
the  major's  command;  and  the  regiment  had 
rushed  into  the  narrow  defile,  where  only  a  por 
tion  of  it  could  be  brought  into  action.  The 
sharpshooters  were  rapidly  reducing  the  num 
bers  at  the  head  of  the  column,  though  the  ranks 
were  immediately  filled  up  by  the  sections  be 
hind  them. 

Life  led  his  platoon,  diminished  in  numbers 
by  only  three  men  besides  the  lieutenant,  to  a 
point  in  the  field  abreast  of  the  farther  side  of 
the  first  hill.  At  this  place  he  could  see  the 
riflemen  posted  behind  trees  and  rocks,  plying 
their  deadly  office  with  the  utmost  diligence, 
and  after  the  manner  the  captain  had  ordered 
on  the  hill  and  at  the  meadow.  He  was  operat 
ing  upon  the  head  of  the  enemy's  column.  The 
sergeant  found  that  there  was  space  enough  be 
tween  the  hill  and  the  end  of  the  breastworks 
for  him  to  charge  the  regiment  on  the  flank, 
and  at  least  make  a  demonstration  in  that  quarter. 

The  Confederate  column  was  losing  its  men 
at  a  fearful  rate  in  its  first  company,  and  the 
second  was  sent  to  dislodge  the  concealed  force 


296  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

on  the  hill.  They  moved  gallantly  forward,  and 
began  the  ascent  of  the  slope ;  but  the  ground 
was  rough,  and  covered  with  trees  and  rocks, 
though  the  former  were  scattered  just  enough 
to  enable  the  sharpshooters  to  fire  over  and  be 
tween  them.  The  advancing  force  were  nearer 
the  riflemen  than  the  companies  on  the  ground, 
and  they  dropped  almost  as  fast  as  they  went 
forward,  and  the  company  was  soon  recalled. 

Sergeant  Knox  conducted  his  platoon  through 
the  opening,  and  fell  upon  the  third  company 
just  as  the  second  were  approaching  the  posi 
tion  they  had  occupied  before.  As  usual,  his 
men  fought  furiously,  and  very  unexpectedly  a 
panic  ensued.  The  Confederates  evidently  be 
lieved  that  they  were  flanked  by  a  large  force, 
and  began  to  fall  back  towards  the  intrenchments, 
crowding  the  companies  in  the  rear  before  them. 

The  men  in  the  first  company  continued  to 
fall  in  appalling  numbers  before  the  riflemen's  un 
erring  aim.  The  Riverlawns  pressed  them  with 
renewed  zeal,  and  they  fell  back  into  the  gap 
made  by  the  flankers.  In  this  manner  the  second 
platoon  came  into  their  proper  position,  while 


A  LIEUTEKANT   AMONG   THU   "  MISSING  "      297 

the  first  company,  now  re-enforced  by  the  two 
companies  of  their  regiment,  marched  into  the 
fort;  and  the  fight  for  the  time  ended  there. 
By  this  time  it  was  beginning  to  be  dark,  and  it 
was  not  likely  that  the  battle  would  be  renewed 
that  night.  The  work  of  the  next  morning  was 
to  attack  and  carry  the  intrenchments. 

The  battalion  had  been  under  the  command 
of  Captain  Woodbine,  the  staff-officer,  from  the 
time  when  the  two  companies  in  the  rear  had 
been  brought  into  the  action.  He  ordered  his 
force  to  return  to  the  end  of  the  roads  by  which 
they  had  arrived.  Major  Lyon  led  his  squad 
ron  back  to  the  point  indicated,  and  halted  his 
men  there.  As  soon  as  he  had  done  so  he  rode 
back  to  look  over  his  command.  The  riflemen 
were  recalled.  It  was  found  that  they  had  lost 
four  men  in  killed,  and  nine  wounded,  most  of 
them  by  the  shells  from  the  fort. 

Both  companies  reported  their  loss  in  general 
terms.  Dr.»  Farnwright  had  established  his  hos 
pital  in  the  rear,  and  had  a  considerable  number 
of  patients.  Captain  Gordon  could  only  report 
for  half  of  his  command,  for  the  other  half  had 


298  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

been  absent.  The  major  passed  on  to  the  sec 
ond  platoon,  and  was  startled  to  see  that  it  was 
in  command  of  the  first  sergeant. 

"Where  is  Lieutenant  Lyon?  "  he  asked,  chok 
ing  down  the  emotions  that  agitated  him. 

"  Missing,  Major,"  replied  Life. 

"Missing?"  repeated  the  father  of  the  lieuten 
ant.  "I  will  hear  your  report  later;  "  and  he 
rode  back  to  ths  taad  of  the  column. 


WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE   LINES          299 


CHAPTER  XXIII 

WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE   LINES 

THE  fall  of  the  gigantic  Tennessee  lieutenant 
had  created  something  like  a  panic  among  his 
cavalrymen  who  were  pressing  forward  to  flank 
the  Kentuckians ;  and  Sergeant  Fronklyn,  his  face 
still  covered  with  blood,  seized  the  opportunity  of 
their  retirement  to  the  rear  to  drag  the  form  of 
Lieutenant  Lyon  out  of  the  melee,  and  place  him 
on  the  bank  of  the  creek  which  bounded  the  camp 
on  the  west. 

His  first  care  was  to  wet  his  handkerchief  from 
his  canteen,  and  wash  the  blood  from  his  face,  so 
that  he  could  see  better.  Then  he  felt  of  his 
wound  which  was  somewhat  swollen,  and  found 
the  scalpskin  was  torn  away  from  his  head  just 
above  the  temple.  The  bullet  from  the  pistol  of 
the  trooper  had  glanced  across  his  head  with  force 
enough  to  stun  him  without  making  a  very  bad 
wound.  He  washed  it  with  the  handkerchief,  and 


300 

then  tied  it  over  the  top  of  his  head,  and  under 
his  chin. 

He  realized  that  he  had  had  a  very  narrow  es 
cape  from  death ;  for  if  the  ball  had  hit  him  an 
inch  lower,  it  would  certainly  have  killed  him. 
He  took  a  long  draught  of  water  from  his  can 
teen,  and  felt  better.  He  was  very  thankful  for 
his  escape,  and  believed  he  should  recover  from 
the  wound  in  a  week.  He  knew  that  he  was  a 
prisoner;  but  it  was  probable  that  the  Union 
army  would  open  fire  upon  the  intrenchments 
the  next  morning,  and  would  capture  it  in  the 
end,  be  it  sooner  or  later. 

He  had  seated  himself  by  the  side  of  the  mo 
tionless  form  of  his  officer,  not  doubting  that  he 
was  dead,  though  he  immediately  proceeded  to 
satisfy  himself  on  this  question.  He  placed  his 
hand  on  his  heart.  He  had  been  a  student  in 
a  medical  institution  at  the  time  of  his  enlist 
ment,  and  had  made  considerable  progress  in  his 
studies,  and  had  assisted  Dr.  Farnwright  in  the 
hospital  when  the  occasion  would  permit. 

The  organ  of  life  was  still  beating,  and  he 
uttered  an  exclamation  of  satisfaction.  Thus 


WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE   LINES          301 

encouraged,  he  continued  to  investigate  the  con 
dition  of  the  lieutenant.  He  could  find  no  open 
wound,  but  there  was  a  considerable  swelling  on 
the  top  of  the  head.  He  was  convinced  that  the 
case  would  not  be  fatal.  Taking  the  patient's 
handkerchief  from  the  inside  of  his  coat,  he  wet 
it  thoroughly  from  his  canteen.  Then  he  un 
loosed  the  belt,  and  opened  wide  his  coat. 

He  sprinkled  the  face  from  the  wet  handker 
chief,  and  then  bathed  it  very  patiently  for  half 
an  hour.  At  the  end  of  this  time  the  patient 
opened  his  eyes,  slowly  at  first,  and  soon  had 
them  wide  open.  He  recovered  his  conscious 
ness  later,  and  complained  of  a  nausea  at  his 
stomach,  and  he  continued  to  have  an  increase 
of  the  symptom  till  he  had  discharged  the  con 
tents  of  that  member. 

"I  feel  better,"  said  he  very  faintly,  as  he 
looked  about  him,  and  seemed  to  be  bewildered. 
"  Who  are  you  ?  "  he  inquired ;  for  it  was  too  dark 
by  this  time  for  him  to  see  anything  distinctly. 

"I  am  Sergeant  Fronklyn,"  replied  his  atten 
tive  nurse.  "  Don't  you  know  me,  Lieutenent 
Lyon?" 


302  A    LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  I  should  know  you  if  I  could  see  your  face," 
replied  Deck  with  a  stronger  voice. 

"It  is  becoming  rather  dark  about  here.  Have 
you  any  pain,  Lieutenant?"  inquired  the  ser 
geant. 

"None  of  any  consequence,  Fronklyn;  but  my 
head  aches,"  answered  Deck.  "  Where  do  I  hap 
pen  to  be  just  now?" 

"Don't  you  remember  what  took  place  an  hour 
ago,  or  more  ?  " 

"  I  have  an  idea  that  I  was  in  a  fight ;  but 
it  all  came  to  an  end  very  suddenly,"  replied 
Deck,  raising  his  head,  and  then  sitting  up  on 
the  ground. 

"You  were  in  a  sharp  fight,  and  you  have 
lain  here  like  a  log  for  half  an  hour  or  more. 
I  was  afraid  that  you  had  been  killed ;  but  I 
thank  God  with  all  my  heart  and  soul  that  you 
are  still  living,"  said  Fronklyn  very  devoutly. 

"  Some  of  it  comes  back  to  me  now,"  said  the 
patient,  as  he  looked  about  him  as  if  to  ascer 
tain  where  he  was ;  for  his  companion  had  not 
informed  him  on  this  point.  "  I  had  just  struck 
down  a  trooper  with  my  sabre  when  I  heard  the 


WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE   LINES         303 

tramp  of  a  horse  behind  me.  I  was  about  to 
wheel  so  as  to  face  him,  when  I  felt  a  blow  on 
my  head,  and  I  can  remember  nothing  more." 

"  You  fell  on  the  field,  as  I  had  before  you." 

"  Are  you  wounded,  Fronklyn  ?  " 

"  I  am  slightly ;  and  my  case  seems  to  be  some 
thing  like  yours,  though  it  was  a  pistol-ball  that 
brought  me  down.  I  saw  the  trooper  aim  a  great 
horse-pistol  that  might  have  been  a  hundred  years 
old,  and  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  bullet  was  as 
big  as  they  fire  in  those  ancient  flint-lock  mus 
kets.  It  stunned  me  for  the  moment ;  but  I  was 
on  my  feet  at  once,  and  saw  you  fall,"  the  ser 
geant  explained. 

"  Are  you  much  hurt,  Fronklyn  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  Only  a  flesh-wound  that  will  heal  up  in  a 
week,  or  less.  When  I  can  get  at  my  knapsack 
I  will  put  a  plaster  on  it." 

"But  you  have  not  told  me  where  we  are, 
Fronklyn,  and  I  cannot  tell  for  the  life  of  me," 
continued  the  lieutenant,  looking  around  him 
again. 

"  Don't  you  remember  that  we  were  in  the 
enemy's  fortification  when  the  fight  went  on?" 


304 


A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


"  I  remember  that.  "We  had  been  crowded  into 
the  enemy's  intrenchments  by  the  crazy  mob. 
A  Southern  captain  claimed  our  platoon  as  the 
prisoners  of  his  company;  and  that  made  me  so 
mad  that  I  ordered  our  men  to  charge  upon 
them,  and  fight  their  way  out  of  the  fort,"  re 
turned  the  wounded  officer,  whose  mind  seemed 
to  be  clear  enough  by  this  time. 

"  And  that  was  just  what  we  were  doing  when 
both  of  us  went  down ;  though  I  was  on  my  feet 
soon  enough  to  drag  you  out  of  the  fight,"  replied 
the  sergeant. 

"  What  has  become  of  the  platoon  ?  " 

"You  were  on  the  flank,  and  Life  Knox  got 
in  at  the  head  of  the  men,  dropping  every  Con 
federate  that  came  in  front  of  him ;  and  the  rest 
of  our  fellows  were  not  far  behind  him.  None 
of  them  were  captured ;  but  two  were  killed,  and 
probably  some  of  them  were  slightly  wounded." 

"The  men  are  not  prisoners,  then?" 

"They  are  not." 

"How  is  it  with  us?" 

"I  suppose  we  are  prisoners,  for  we  are  within 
the  enemy's  lines ;  but  no  person  has  been  near 


WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE   LINES         305 

us  as  we  lay  here.  I  think  the  Southerners  have 
all  they  can  attend  to  at  present,  and  doubtless 
they  are  getting  ready  for  a  fight  to-morrow 
morning ;  for  General  Thomas  will  certainly  clean 
them  out  before  he  has  done  with  them." 

"  What  is  to  be  done  with  us  ? "  suggested 
Deck. 

"That  is  a  question,  Lieutenant." 

"Well,  the  next  business  in  order  is  to  get 
away ,  for  I  have  no  fancy  for  being  taken  to  the 
South,  since  the  Confederates  have  no  provisions 
for  their  own  men,  and  as  prisoners  we  would 
starve  with  them,"  said  Deck.  "I  haven't  had 
my  supper  yet,  and  I  feel  a  little  faint.  I  have 
enough  to  eat  in  my  haversack." 

"  So  have  I ;  for  we  were  so  busy  at  noon, 
that  I  did  not  have  time  to  eat  much  dinner, 
though  it  was  served  as  usual.  I  think  we  had 
better  go  to  supper  now,  and  then  we  will  look 
about  us." 

Both  of  them  began  to  eat  from  their  haver 
sacks,  and  they  made  a  hearty  meal  of  it.  The 
lieutenant  declared  that  he  felt  all  right  then,  and 
his  head  did  not  ache  half  so  bad  as  it  had  when 


306 

he.  first  came  to  himself.  In  the  excitement  of 
the  day  Deck  had  eaten  very  little.  He  had 
been  careihil  that  his  soldiers  had  their  dinner, 
but  he  had  been  too  busy  to  attend  to  the  matter 
himself.  He  had  become  somewhat  faint  while 
within  the  breastworks  before  the  charge.  At  any 
rate,  he  felt  a  great  deal  better  after  he  had  eaten 
his  supper. 

"I  wonder  what  they  are  doing  in  here,"  said 
he,  looking  to  the  middle  of  the  camp,  though 
it  was  now  so  dark  that  he  could  not  make  out 
anything. 

"  Of  course  there  is  going  to  be  another  bat 
tle  in  the  morning,  and  the  enemy  here  are  get 
ting  ready  for  it,"  replied  Fronklyn.  "  General 
Thomas  was  sent  down  here  to  capture  these 
works,  and  drive  the  enemy  away  from  this  re 
gion,  and  he  is  going  to  do  it.  He  is  a  regular 
army  officer,  and  he  understands  his  business." 

"What  do  you  suppose  has  become  of  your 
horse  and  mine,  Fronklyn  ? "  asked  Deck,  as  he 
looked  about  him  again.  "  I  wouldn't  lose  Ceph 
for  everything  else  I  have  in  the  world." 

"I   saw  him   pressing   forward  with   the   men 


WITHIN  THE  CONFEDERATE  LINES  30? 

after  you  had  fallen,  and  it  seemed  as  though  he 
meant  to  do  some  fighting  on  his  own  account," 
replied  the  sergeant.  "  I  fancy  that  both  our 
horses  went  with  the  men  out  of  the  fort,  and 
that  they  will  be  cared  for,  even  if  they  are 
wandering  about  in  the  fields." 

"The  question  just  now  is  how  we  are  to  get 
out  of  this  scrape,"  said  Deck,  as  he  rose  from 
his  seat  on  the  wet  ground.  "  I  don't  like  the 
idea  of  going  South  as  a  prisoner,  and  not  much 
better  being  paroled,  and  tied  up  in  idleness  for 
I  don't  know  how  long.  We  must  get  out  of 
this  place,  Fronklyn." 

"I  am  entirely  of  your  opinion,  Lieutenant; 
but  I  don't  see  any  chance  to  do  so  now,"  replied 
the  sergeant.  "  They  have  closed  up  the  entrance 
by  which  we  were  forced  in ;  for  it  is  as  dark  there 
as  all  along  the  breastworks." 

"No  men  appear  to  be  stirring  in  this  part  of 
the  camp,  though  there  are  plenty  of  them  not 
ten  rods  from  us,"  added  Deck. 

"  But  there  is  a  line  of  sentinels  all  along  the 
inside  of  the  breastworks.  I  made  out  the  men 
before  it  was  as  dark  as  it  is  now.  If  it  wasn't 


308  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

for  them  we  could  climb  over  it,  and  go  back  to 
our  camp,"  said  Fronklyn.  "  Our  men  have  two 
or  three  batteries  on  the  field,  and  they  are  firing 
at  intervals.  The  artillerists  inside  the  fort  are 
standing  by  their  guns,  and  they  fire  them  once 
in  a  while  to  show  that  they  are  awake." 

"I  think  we  had  better  reconnoitre  the  situa 
tion,  and  we  may  find  some  hole  we  can  crawl 
through,"  suggested  Deck,  as  he  walked  towards 
the  creek  which  bounded  the  intrenchments  on 
the  west. 

"  Do  you  expect  to  get  out  this  way  ?  "  inquired 
the  sergeant. 

"Perhaps  we  may  possibly  do  so,"  replied  the 
lieutenant. 

"  Impossible ;  I  have  looked  into  that  creek 
before.  It  is  wide  near  the  river,  and  after  the 
freshet  of  the  last  three  days  it  is  a  rushing 
torrent,  and  the  great  river  is  not  much  better 
out  in  the  middle,"  protested  Fronklyn. 

"Well,  we  must  do  something,"  Deck  insisted 
earnestly.  "I  am  going  to  move  over  where 
there  is  something  going  on.  We  can't  afford 
to  waste  our  time  while  we  have  any  of  it  on 
our  hands." 


WITHIN   THE   CONFEDERATE    LINES  309 

"  All  right,  Lieutenant ;  I  will  follow  you 
wherever  you  go,"  returned  the  sergeant. 

Deck  led  the  way  towards  the  centre  of  the 
camp ;  but  he  had  not  gone  two  rods  before  he 
stumbled  over  the  form  of  a  dead  trooper,  one 
of  the  number  who  had  been  unhorsed  in  the 
charge  of  the  platoon.  Half  a  dozen  more  of 
them  lay  near  the  spot  where  the  heaviest  of  the 
fighting  had  been  done.  Probably  the  wounded 
had  been  picked  up  and  borne  to  the  hospital. 

"Lie  down,  Sergeant!"  said  Deck,  as  he  did 
so  himself. 

A  mounted  officer  rode  along  the  line  of  sen 
tinels  as  far  as  the  creek,  evidently  assuring 
himself  that  all  was  safe  in  this  part  of  the  camp. 
He  paused  a  moment  at  each  of  the  guards,  and 
finally  turned  his  horse  and  rode  back  the  way 
he  had  come. 

"We  must  get  over  by  the  river,  and  see  how 
it  looks  there,"  said  Deck  when  the  officer  had 
passed  out  of  hearing. 

"  Then  we  had  better  snake  it ;  for  if  we  stand 
up  it  may  attract  the  attention  of  the  sentinel 
nearest  to  us,"  suggested  the  sergeant,  as  he 


310       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

began  to  crawl  after  the  manner  of  the  reptile 
he  had  mentioned. 

The  lieutenant  followed  his  example ;  for  he 
realized  that  a  moving  object  could  be  made  out 
in  the  darkness.  By  this  slow  process  of  loco 
motion  they  reached  the  bank  of  the  river,  and 
heard  the  dull  flow  of  the  water  from  the  middle 
of  the  great  stream.  The  bank  was  high  and 
steep;  and  it  was  soft  and  wet.  From  this 
point  they  could  see  a  steamboat,  —  a  small  af 
fair.  It  was  headed  up  the  river;  but  the  light 
of  the  fires  in  the  forward  part  of  the  craft 
enabled  them  to  see  her,  and  to  make  out  her 
position. 

On  the  shore  above  her  there  was  a  consid 
erable  crowd  of  men ;  but  the  observers  were 
too  far  off  to  be  seen  distinctly.  They  could 
make  out  by  the  light  of  the  steamer's  fires  two 
large  flatboats,  and  a  much  smaller  craft  was 
made  fast  to  the  stern  of  the  steamer.  Deck 
had  an  idea,  but  he  did  not  mention  it.  Stepping 
over  the  bank  of  the  river,  he  began  to  descend 
the  steep  and  slippery  declivity;  and  Fronklyn, 
with  a  mental  protest,  followed  him. 


NIGHT   ADVENTURE   ON   THE   CUMBERLAND      311 


CHAPTER   XXIV. 

A  NIGHT  ADVENTURE  ON  THE  CUMBERLAND. 

IT  was  walking  by  the  feeling  rather  than  the 
sight;  for  the  black  waters  of  the  great  river 
seemed  to  make  the  darkness  more  dense  than 
in  the  camp  above.  Deck's  lessons  in  reasonable 
caution  came  to  his  mind;  and  he  had  quite  as 
much  need  of  them  as  on  the  field  of  battle. 
A  misstep  might  precipitate  him  into  the  dark 
waters  of  the  rushing  stream. 

He  did  not  "  lose  his  head,"  which  was  exceed 
ingly  serviceable  to  him  at  the  present  moment. 
He  had  said  nothing  to  his  companion  in  regard 
to  this  perilous  descent  in  the  darkness,  for  he 
was  sure  Fronklyn  would  protest  against  the  dif 
ficult  and  dangerous  enterprise  upon  which  he 
had  entered;  but  he  was  willing  that  he  should 
follow  him,  or  remain  in  the  camp,  as  he  might 
think  best. 

The  sergeant   was  a  courageous  man,  as   had 


312  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

often  been  demonstrated  on  the  field  of  battle. 
He  was  not  only  loyal  to  the  government,  but  to 
the  lieutenant ;  and  he  would  have  sacrificed  his 
life  rather  than  abandon  him  in  the  present 
emergency.  At  the  same  time,  he  could  see  but 
little  hope  in  the  present  venture,  whatever  it 
might  be ;  for  the  lieutenant  had  not  informed 
him  in  regard  to  his  purpose  in  descending  to  the 
stream. 

If  he  had  seen  the  boat  that  was  made  fast  to 
the  stern  of  the  steamer,  it  had  no  significance  to 
him.  He  had  never  been  a  boatman;  and  the 
little  craft  was  not  suggestive  to  him  as  it  was 
to  Deck,  who  had  spent  much  of  his  time  on  the 
waters  of  Bar  Creek  and  Green  River  since  his 
father  moved  from  New  Hampshire  to  Kentucky. 
He  had  not  spoken  of  his  plan  to  his  associate, 
partly  from  the  force  of  habit  as  an  officer,  and 
partly  from  the  fear  of  being  overheard  by  some 
one  on  the  shore  above.  They  had  crawled, 
"snaked  it,"  nearly  half  a  mile,  and  had  come 
to  a  point  near  the  body  of  the  Confederate 
troops. 

It  was  not  easy  to  stand  up  on  the  miry  slope 


NIGHT   ADVENTURE   ON   THE   CUMBERLAND      313 

of  forty-five  degrees,  and  the  feet  of  the  leader 
had  a  tendency  to  give  way  in  the  mud.  He 
took  an  angling  course,  which  would  require  him 
to  move  five  or  six  hundred  feet  up  the  river 
before  he  reached  the  water.  He  had  left  his 
sabre  where  his  companion  had  removed  it;  but 
he  still  wore  his  belt,  which  he  had  replaced 
after  he  came  to  his  senses ;  and  the  small  revol 
ver  was  suspended  where  the  hip  pocket  would 
have  been  if  his  trousers  had  been  provided  with  one. 
He  had  nothing  on  that  impeded  his  move 
ments.  Their  slow  progress  in  "  snaking  "  it  for 
so  long  a  distance  led  the  lieutenant  to  believe  it 
must  be  ten  or  eleven  o'clock  in  the  evening.  He. 
continued  his  march  on  the  diagonal  of  the  slope, 
but  with  the  greatest  difficulty ;  and  he  often  had 
to  stop  and  rest  from  the  exertion  of  the  struggle 
with  the  mud.  At  the  end  of  an  hour,  as  Deck 
judged  it  might  be,  he  had  made  about  one-third 
of  the  distance  to  the  water,  and  halted  to  recover 
his  breath.  At  this  pause  in  the  descent  Fronk- 
lyn  came  up  with  him.  Both  of  them  were  out 
of  breath,  and  neither  of  them  spoke,  though  they 
were  out  of  hearing  of  the  enemy. 


314      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  This  is  a  hard  road  to  travel,"  said  Deck, 
when  he  was  more  nearly  in  possession  of  his 
wind. 

"  That's  right ;  but  why  we  are  travelling  it  I 
will  be  hanged  if  I  can  see,"  replied  Fronklyn, 
his  tones  indicating  that  he  was  much  disgusted 
with  the  present  situation.  "  You  did  not  tell  me 
what  you  intended  to  do,  Lieutenant." 

"  Because  I  did  not  wish  to  inform  any  of  the 
enemy  who  might  be  within  earshot  of  us," 
replied  Deck.  "I  did  not  go  off  at  half-cock 
when  I  started  on  this  tramp.  You  have  a  first- 
class  pair  of  eyes,  Sergeant ;  and  I  supposed  you 
would  use  them,  and  could  see  for  yourself  what 
I  was  about." 

"  I  have  used  my  eyes  for  all  they  are  worth ; 
but  I  will  be  hanged  if  I  can  see  what  you  are 
driving  at  through  this  mud." 

"Have  you  seen  a  steamboat  anywhere  on  the 
great  river  ?  " 

"  I  reckon  I  have ;  but  I  don't  take  it  that  you 
are  going  to  her." 

"  That  is  just  where  I  am  going,"  answered 
Deck  impressively  and  decidedly. 


NIGHT   ADVENTURE   ON   THE   CUMBERLAND      315 

"  Going  to  the  steamboat !  "  exclaimed  the  ser 
geant  incredulously. 

"  Precisely  so." 

"  Then  I  suppose  you  expect  to  procure  a  pas 
sage  in  her  across  the  river,  if  that  is  where  she 
is  going;  and  I  can't  see  what  else  she  is  here 
for." 

"I  don't  know  why  she  is  here,  for  I  am  not 
in  the  counsels  of  the  enemy." 

•  "  You  seem  to  be  in  a  fair  way  to  become  bet 
ter  acquainted  with  the  Southern  army." 

"  The  steamer  may  have  brought  supplies  for 
this  camp ;  and  according  to  all  accounts  the  sol 
diers  inside  of  the  breastworks  are  in  need  enough 
of  them.  I  don't  know  what  she  is  here  for, 
though  I  have  a  suspicion  that  our  forces  will  not 
find  the  enemy  in  their  intrenchments  in  the  morn 
ing.  But,  Sergeant  Fronklyn,  you  are  disgruntled, 
as  I  have  never  seen  you  before." 

"  Because  it  seems  to  me  you  are  running  as 
fast  as  the  mud  will  permit  you  into  the  very 
jaws  of  the  lion ;  or,  if  that  is  too  figurative  for 
your  plain  common-sense,  into  the  hands  of  the 
enemy.  You  are  a  lieutenant,  and  they  will  be 


316  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

glad  to  get  you;  for  they  have  not  bagged  many 
officers  in  the  last  twenty-four  hours,"  replied 
Fronklyn. 

"  Sergeant,  if  you  are  dissatisfied  with  my 
movements,  we  are  not  in  the  camp  or  in  the 
field,  and  you  are  at  liberty  to  retire  and  look 
out  for  yourself." 

"  I  would  drown  myself  in  the  river  before  I 
would  do  that!"  protested  the  sergeant  warmly. 
"I  hope  I  have  not  said  anything  disrespectful, 
Lieutenant.  On  the  field  I  have  followed  you 
wherever  you  chose  to  go,  or  wherever  you  chose 
to  send  me.  I  have  no  doubt  you  know  just 
where  you  intend  to  go,  and  just  what  you  intend 
to  do;  but  I  am  in  darkness,  and  wish  for  light. 
I  am  going  it  blind ;  but  I  will  follow  you,  even 
if  it  be  into  a  Confederate  prison-camp,  Lieu 
tenant  !" 

"I  have  no  secret  to  keep  from  you,  my  dear 
fellow,"  said  Deck,  reaching  out,  and  grasping 
for  the  hand  of  his  companion,  which  he  found, 
and  pressed  earnestly.  "  We  have  stood  together 
on  some  fighting  ground,  and  we  will  not  fall 
out  here,  though  we  may  fall  down  this  slip- 


NIGHT   ADVENTURE   ON   THE  CUMBERLAND       317 

pery  bank.  You  can  see  that  I  could  not  stop 
to  make  explanations  within  reach  of  the  sound 
of  the  enemy's  voices.  What's  that  just  above 
you,  sergeant?"  asked  he,  pointing  to  something 
on  which  a  gleam  of  light  from  the  steamer's  fires 
fell. 

"  It  looks  like  a  board,"  replied  Fronklyn ;  "  it 
may  be  of  use  to  us  in  making  our  way  along 
this  bank.  I  will  get  it;"  and  he  went  up  the 
slope  about  a  rod,  and  returned  with  it. 

It  was  a  board  about  ten  feet  long,  and  not 
more  than  six  inches  wide,  and  had  probably 
been  dropped  from  the  camp  above.  The  ser 
geant  laid  it  down,  and  then  seated  himself  upon 
it,  Deck  following  his  example. 

"We  may  come  to  gullies  made  by  the  rain, 
and  this  board  will  help  us  in  crossing  them.  I 
had  nearly  lost  my  balance  in  getting  over  one 
of  them,"  added  Fronklyn. 

"  I  could  not  explain  before,  but  I  am  ready 
to  do  so  now,"  said  Deck,  taking  up  the  con 
versation  where  he  had  left  it  before. 

"  Perhaps  I  ought  not  to  ask  an  explanation ; 
for  I  have  been  accustomed  to  obey  your  orders 


318  A    LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

without  asking  a  question,  or  to  follow  wherever 
you  led  the  way."  returned  the  sergeant. 

"  I  have  given  you  no  order,  Fronklyn ;  and,  if 
I  had,  you  are  no  longer  under  my  authority. 
After  a  ship  is  wrecked  the  sailors  look  out 
for  themselves,"  continued  Deck.  "  You  have 
seen  the  steamer;  and  you  can  see  it  better  now 
than  at  any  time  before,  for  the  firemen  are 
piling  in  the  wood,  and  the  furnace  doors  are 
open." 

The  blazing  fires  under  the  boiler  cast  their 
light  on  the  river  and  the  banks,  illuminating 
the  scene  ahead  of  her,  but  not  astern,  fortu 
nately  for  the  fugitives  seated  on  the  board,  or 
they  might  have  been  seen,  and  their  uniforms 
distinguished  by  the  enemy.  Some  of  this  light 
was  reflected  to  the  stern  of  the  steamer,  through 
the  openings  on  the  main  deck. 

"I  can  see  the  steamer  plainly  enough  now," 
said  Fronklyn.  "It  looks  as  though  ropes  had 
been  passed  from  the  top  of  the  banks  down  to 
the  vessel." 

"Very  likely  those  are  to  assist  the  officers 
and  privates  to  descend  to  her;  and  I  wish  we 


NIGHT  ADVENTURE   ON    THE    CUMBERLAND      319 

had  a  rope  here  to  help  us  along,"  added  Deck. 
"  But  do  you  see  the  small  boat  hitched  to  the 
stern  of  the  steamer?" 

"  I  can  see  it  now  plainly  enough  ;  but  I  had 
not  noticed  it  before." 

"I  saw  it  when  I  first  discovered  the  steam 
boat,  and  I  have  been  making  for  it  ever  since. 
I  was  afraid  if  I  said  anything  that  little  craft 
would  be  placed  out  of  our  reach  before  we 
got  to  it." 

"  I  understand  it  all  now !  "  exclaimed  Fronk- 
lyn.  "  I  hope  you  will  excuse  me  for  grum 
bling,  Lieutenant,  when  I  could  not  make  head 
nor  tail  to  your  movement." 

"  That  is  all  right,  my  dear  fellow ;  only  trust 
me  first,  and  grumble  afterwards,  the  next  time. 
But  we  must  be  moving  on." 

"What  about  this  board?  It  is  rather  heavy 
to  lug  the  rest  of  the  way,"  said  the  sergeant,  as 
he  lifted  one  end  of  it.  "  Shall  we  leave  it  ?  " 

"It  may  be  of  use  to  us.  If  I  had  a  pole 
about  six  feet  long  it  would  help  me  very  much, 
and  perhaps  save  me  from  sliding  down  into  the 
river." 


320  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"If  we  could  break  the  board  in  two  in  the 
middle,  it  would  make  two  staffs  for  us." 

"We  can  do  that,"  added  the  lieutenant. 

"How?" 

"Shoot  it  in  two." 

This  answer  looked  like  a  joke  to  the  sergeant, 
and  he  gave  his  opinion  that  the  board  could  not 
be  broken  in  two  in  the  middle  without  splin 
tering  it  from  one  end  to  the  other  Deck  de 
clared  he  could  manage  the  case,  and  asked  his 
associate  to  find  the  middle  of  the  piece  of  lum 
ber.  By  the  time  he  had  done  so  the  lieutenant 
had  taken  out  his  revolver,  loaded  with  six  car 
tridges. 

Placing  the  muzzle  of  the  barrel  on  the  board 
where  Fronklyn  pointed  to  the  middle,  he  fired, 
repeating  the  operation  till  he  had  discharged  it 
six  times.  The  holes  made  by  the  balls  were 
about  an  inch  apart.  The  reports  from  the  re 
volvers  were  only  cracks ;  and,  so  far  as  they  knew, 
no  one  heard  them  but  themselves.  Fronklyn 
put  his  foot  on  the  board,  and  then  with  his 
hands  hold  of  one  end  of  it  lifted  it  till  it 
snapped  on  the  line  of  the  bullet-holes.  Each 


NIGHT  ADVENTURE    ON    THE  CUMBERLAND      321 

of  them  took  one  of  the  pieces,  and  renewed  their 
tramp. 

Deck  kept  the  lead,  as  before,  and  placed  the 
board  on  the  lower  side  ;  and  the  sergeant  did 
the  same.  The  staff  was  as  useful  to  them  as 
the  alpenstock  to  the  mountain  climber  in  Swit 
zerland.  It  enabled  them  to  double  their  speed, 
at  least,  and  with  much  less  labor  than  they  had 
made  their  way  before.  The  doors  of  the  fur 
naces  on  the  steamer  were  closed  now,  but  they 
could  see  men  descending  by  the  lines  to  the 
gang-plank  of  the  steamer. 

In  due  time  they  arrived  within  ten  rods  of 
the  small  boat  of  which  they  desired  to  obtain 
possession.  The  furnace-doors  were  again  opened 
to  put  in  more  fuel,  and  the  scene  was  lighted 
by  the  blaze  again.  As  a  matter  of  prudence, 
the  lieutenant  lay  down  on  his  board,  and  the 
sergeant  did  the  same. 

"  Now,  Fronklyn,  I  will  make  my  way  to  the 
boat,  and  bring  it  down  for  you  to  get  in  ;  for 
both  of  us  need  not  incur  the  risk  of  doing  this 
work." 

"  All  right ;   I  agree  with  you  in  regard  to  the 


322  A   LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

risk,  but  I  will  do  this  instead  of  you,"  replied 
Fronklyn. 

"  Are  you  accustomed  to  handling  a  boat,  and 
especially  to  rowing  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  I  never  handled  a  boat  at  all,  and  never 
rowed  one  in  my  life,"  answered  the  sergeant. 

"  Then  I  must  do  this  job ;  "  and  the  lieuten 
ant  started  on  his  mission. 

Some  of  the  soldiers  had  gone  aboard  the 
steamer,  though  he  could  see  none  on  the  after 
deck.  Deck  approached  the  river  very  cautiously, 
lying  down  on  his  board  not  less  than  three  times 
when  he  thought  he  was  observed.  King  Fortune 
favored  him,  for  the  current  of  the  stream  kept 
the  boat  swinging  out  and  in.  Watching  his 
opportunity,  he  caught  hold  of  the  stern,  and 
leaped  into  the  boat  as  though  nothing  ailed  his 
head,  either  outside  or  inside. 

He  dropped  into  the  bottom  of  it,  and  peered 
over  the  deck  of  the  steamer.  Then  he  hauled 
on  the  painter  till  he  brought  the  little  craft  up 
to  the  taffrail,  where  with  no  little  difficulty  he 
cast  off  the  rope.  He  could  see  the  soldiers  on 
the  upper  bank,  and  those  on  the  forward  part 


NIGHT   ADVENTURE    ON   THE     CUMBERLAND     323 

of  the  steamboat;  but  they  were  all  too  busy  to 
bestow  any  attention  upon  him.  The  current 
bore  the  tender  rapidly  down  the  stream. 

When  it  had  gone  to  a  safe  distance,  Deck 
seated  himself  in  the  stern-sheets,  and  put  his 
board  in  the  scull-hole,  and  forced  the  boat  to 
the  shore,  though  not  without  a  great  deal  of 
difficulty  and  labor.  Fronklyn  was  on  the  look 
out  for  it,  and  sprang  lightly  into  the  fore-sheets, 
making  a  spring  on  his  board  stick.  The  cur 
rent  took  the  boat,  and  no  further  exertion  was 
necessary.  They  had  escaped  from  the  fortifica 
tions,  and  they  were  satisfied. 


3:24  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XXV 

A   BOAT    VOYAGE   DOWN    THE    GREAT    RIVER 

THE  tender  in  which  Deck  Lyon  and  his  com 
panion  had  embarked  was  a  keel-boat  such  as  is 
usually  suspended  by  two  ropes  from  either  end 
to  the  upper  extremity  of  a  pole,  like  an  ensign 
staff.  It  was  about  twelve  feet  long,  and  was  not 
likely  to  upset,  even  in  the  turbulent  water  at 
the  middle  of  the  river  which  drained  the  Cum 
berland  Mountains  in  the  south-eastern  part  of 
the  State. 

Very  heavy  rains  had  been  falling  for  several 
days,  overflowing  brooks  and  creeks  so  as  to 
make  many  of  them  impassable ;  and  the  great 
river  was  swollen,  though  not  to  an  unusual 
height  in  the  rainy  season.  Deck  made  no  effort 
at  first  to  direct  the  craft,  for  he  was  well-nigh 
exhausted  by  the  fatigues  of  the  day  and  his 
efforts  to  escape  from  the  fortification. 

He  kept  his  seat  in  the  stern-sheets,  as  Fronk- 


BOAT   VOYAGE  DOWN   THE   GREAT   RIVER       325 

lyn  did  in  the  forward  part  of  the  boat,  which 
was  still  abreast  of  the  camp,  but  well  under  the 
high  bank  of  the  stream.  The  enterprise  was  a 
success  so  far,  and  they  were  so  well  pleased  to 
escape  from  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the  enemy 
that  they  were  not  disposed  to  do  anything  but 
rest  themselves.  But  in  a  few  minutes  they  had 
recovered  their  breath,  and  ceased  to  pant  from 
their  exertions. 

Left  to  its  own  guidance,  or  that  of  the  cur 
rent,  it  had  whirled  about  two  or  three  times ; 
but  Deck  was  too  tired  to  be  disturbed  by  this 
movement.  Their  uniforms  were  wet  through; 
for  it  had  rained  all  the  afternoon  and  evening, 
and  the  tender  had  considerable  water  in  her 
bottom.  Under  any  other  circumstances  they 
would  have  been  very  uncomfortable  ;  but  their 
satisfaction  at  the  escape  from  a  prison  or  prison- 
camp  in  the  near  future  was  the  uppermost 
thought  in  their  minds,  and  for  a  time  it  ban 
ished  the  annoyance  of  wet  and  cold. 

"If  we  whirl  round  like  this  it  will  make  us 
dizzy,"  said  the  sergeant  as  a  mild  joke.  "  What 
makes  the  boat  do  so  ?  " 


326  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  The  tender  is  so  happy  to  get  out  of  Con 
federate  hands  that  it  wants  to  dance,  and  it  is 
indulging  in  a  waltz,"  replied  Deck  as  another 
pleasantry. 

"  I  wish  it  wouldn't  do  so,  for  I  don't  like  the 
motion.  I  suppose  you  don't  intend  to  continue 
this  voyage  down  to  New  Orleans ;  for  that  would 
not  be  a  more  agreeable  locality  than  the  Beech 
Grove  intrenchments,"  added  Fronklyn. 

"  I  don't  believe  we  shall  care  to  go  as  far  as 
that." 

"How  far  down  do  you  mean  to  go,  Lieu 
tenant?" 

"  That  depends ;  if  we  can  get  the  craft  under 
control,  I  don't  think  we  need  go  much  farther," 
said  Deck,  as  he  began  to  feel  about  in  the  bot 
tom  of  the  boat. 

"  What  are  you  fishing  for,  Lieutenant  ? " 
asked  his  companion. 

"  I  think  you  had  better  not  use  that  word  any 
more  at  present." 

"What  word?" 

"  Lieutenant ;  for  I  don't  care  to  have  my  rank 
published  any  more  on  this  cruise,  for  some  one 


BOAT   VOYAGE   DOWN   THE   GREAT   RIVER       327 

on  the  shore  might  hear  it.  Call  me  Deck;  and 
as  you  are  not  a  sergeant  here  any  more  than  I 
am  a  lieutenant,  I  will  not  call  you  so ;  but  I  for 
get  your  first  name,  as  I  have  never  used  it." 

"  They  all  call  me  Ben  among  my  friends." 

"Very  well;   Ben  it  is." 

"I  am  satisfied,  Deck,  though  it  seems  a  little 
oft7  now  to  call  you  by  your  given  name,  cut 
short,  though  we  used  to  do  so  before  you  were 
promoted.  But  what  are  you  feeling  for  ?  "  asked 
Ben,  as  his  companion  continued  to  poke  about  him. 

"  I  was  trying  to  find  the  oars  which  belong  in 
this  boat,"  replied  Deck.  "See  if  you  can  find 
them  near  the  bow." 

Both  of  them  made  diligent  search  in  e very- 
part  of  the  boat ;  but  no  oars  could  be  found,  and 
it  was  evident  that  they  were  kept  on  board  of 
the  steamer. 

"  No  oars ;  that  makes  it  bad  for  us,"  added 
Deck. 

"I  can  make  a  paddle  out  of  my  board,"  sug 
gested  Ben. 

"Do  so  if  you  can,"  replied  Deck  as  he  picked 
up  his  own  staff. 


328  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

By  this  time,  after  sitting  still  for  a  while, 
both  of  them  were  chilled  by  the  wet  and  the 
night  air,  and  they  needed  exercise  of  some  kind 
to  warm  them.  Ben  had  a  large  and  sharp  knife 
in  his  pocket,  and  he  began  to  whittle  the  board 
like  a  typical  Yankee.  Deck  put  his  staff  into 
the  scull-hole,  and  made  an  effort  to  steer  the 
tender,  and  thus  prevent  her  from  whirling.  As 
a  rudder  it  was  a  failure ;  but  as  an  oar,  heaving 
around  the  stern,  he  succeeded  with  much  exer 
tion  in  making  a  tolerably  straight  course. 

"  That  village  must  be  Robertsport,"  said 
Deck,  who  had  carefully  studied  all  the  locali 
ties  in  this  region  on  his  map.  "  There  is  a  big 
bend  of  the  river  here,  and  we  might  as  well  go 
ashore  there  as  farther  down." 

"What  has  the  bend  to  do  with  our  going 
ashore  there,  Deck?" 

"  The  water  in  the  river  has  a  tendency  to  flow 
straight  ahead,  Ben ;  I  learned  that  at  Big  Bend, 
on  the  Geeen  River,  near  Riverlawn." 

"I  know  the  place  very  well,"  added  Ben. 

"  When  we  come  to  the  bend  below  the  village, 
the  current  will  be  likely  to  shoot  us  over  near 
the  opposite  shore." 


BOAT   VOYAGE   DOWN   THE   GREAT   RIVER        329 

"  But  that  will  take  us  to  the  wrong  side  of 
the  river,  and  we  shall  have  to  get  across  it 
afterwards ;  and,  besides,  the  enemy  will  be  on 
that  side." 

"I  don't  figure  it  out  in  just  that  way,  Ben; 
for  the  current  will  take  us  to  the  north  side  of 
the  stream.  The  river  turns  to  the  left,  or  south ; 
but  the  water  wants  to  go  straight  ahead,  and 
that  will  cast  us  on  the  side  where  we  are  now: 
don't  you  see  ?  " 

"  Well,  I  don't  see.  I  am  no  boatman,  and 
I  won't  raise  any  objection,"  replied  Ben.  "  Here 
is  your  paddle.  I  had  to  cut  it  out  in  the  dark, 
and  work  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight,  so  that  it 
is  not  handsome." 

"  It  does  first  rate,  Ben ;  but  we  shall  have  to 
do  some  hard  work  in  holding. the  tender  to  the 
shore  when  the  current  throws  it  on  the  bank; 
and  probably  it  is  just  as  high  as  it  is  at  the 
fort." 

"  I  will  do  my  share  of  the  work  if  you  will 
tell  me  how,  Deck." 

In  a  few  minutes  more  the  boat  began  to  feel 
the  current  as  it  came  to  the  bend,  and  they  could 


330      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

hear  the  roar  of  the  water  as  it  was  dashed  against 
the  shore.  With  the  paddle  Ben  had  made,  Deck 
contrived  to  keep,  the  tender  from  whirling  about, 
though  he  had  to  work  very  hard  to  do  so. 
With  the  bow  pointed  to  the  shore,  which  he 
could  now  make  out  in  the  gloom  of  the  night, 
she  was  going  ahead  very  rapidly,  having  now 
the  full  force  of  the  stream. 

"What  am  I  to  do,  Deck?"  demanded  Ben, 
who  did  not  feel  at  all  at  home  while  the  craft 
was  in  the  midst  of  her  gyrations. 

"  The  boat  is  going  head  on  against  the  shore ; 
but  I  don't  know  what  sort  of  a  landing-place 
it  will  prove  to  be.  But  whatever  it  is,  take 
the  painter  in  your  hand"  — 

"  Who  ?  "  cried  Ben. 

"The  painter.  The  rope  made  fast  at  your 
end  of  the  tender,"  replied  the  skipper  of  the 
craft  impatiently ;  for  the  sergeant  was  entirely 
ignorant  of  nautical  terms.  "Take  the  end  of 
the  rope  in  your  hand,  and  jump  ashore  as  soon 
as  it  touches  the  land." 

"  All  right ;  I  understand  you  now,"  responded 
Ben,  as  he  seized  the  painter,  and  stood  up  in 


BOAT   VOYAGE  DOWN   THE   GKEAT   RIVEK        331 

the  fore-sheets  as  well  as  the  rolling  of  the  boat 
in  the  current  would  permit. 

"Now  for  it!  "  shouted  Deck,  as  he  felt  the 
bottom  of  the  boat  strike  on  its  keel. 

Ben  said  nothing,  but  sprang  over  the  bow  of 
the  boat,  upon  what  seemed  to  be  a  flat  shore, 
with  the  rope  in  his  hand. 

"  Hold  on  with  all  your  might,  or  I  shall  go 
down  stream!  "  called  Deck,  as  he  vigorously 
plied  his  paddle  in  an  effort  to  heave  around  the 
stern  of  the  boat  so  that  the  current  might  strike 
it  on  the  broadside. 

The  action  of  the  stream  helped  him,  and, 
assisted  by  the  strength  of  Ben  at  the  painter, 
the  tender  was  thrown  high  and  dry  on  the  gen 
tle  slope  where  it  had  struck.  The  landing  had 
proved  to  be  a  much  less  difficult  task  than  Deck 
had  anticipated,  perhaps  because  he  had  skilfully 
handled  the  craft  so  that  the  current  did  most 
of  the  work. 

The  leader  of  the  enterprise  jumped  from  the 
stern-sheets  upon  the  ground,  which  was  a  part 
of  the  tongue  of  land  formed  by  the  great  bend, 
and  extending  to  the  south.  Then  Deck  had  a 


332 


A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


chance  to  look  around  him,  though  it  was  too 
dark  to  make  out  the  situation. 

"Where  are  we  now,  Deck?"  asked  Ben. 

"  I  never  was  here  before ;  but  I  guess  we  are 
not  more  than  six  miles  below  the  intrenchments 
of  the  enemy  on  the  Cumberland,  and  they  have 
another  breastwork  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river,"  replied  Deck,  as  he  continued  to  look 
about  him. 

"  Where  is  Robertsport,  of  which  you  spoke  a 
while  ago?" 

"  That's  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  not 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  mile  higher  up.  I  sup 
pose  you  are  satisfied  now  that  you  are  on  the 
north  side  of  the  stream,  and  not  on  the  south, 
as  you  anticipated,  Ben,"  said  Deck. 

"  Yes ;  I  reasoned  that  matter  out,  and  found 
you  were  right.  I  suppose  you  are  about  used 
up  by  this  time.  I  wonder  what  o'clock  it  is." 

"  I  have  a  watch  if  you  have  a  match." 

The  sergeant  took  a  tin  box  from  his  pocket, 
and  lighted  a  match  from  it,  and  held  it  under 
his  cap.  Deck  produced  his  watch,  and  found 
that  it  was  twenty-five  minutes  past  one. 


BOAT  VOYAGE  DOWN  THE  GKEAT  RIVER       333 

"  Later  than  I  supposed,"  he  added. 

"  We  have  been  on  our  feet  nearly  twenty-four 
hours,  and  I  think  you  must  be  about  played 
out,"  said  the  sergeant  with  a  gape.  "  I  am  tired 
out;  and  you  are  still  young,  too  young  to  go 
without  your  regular  sleep." 

"But  I  shall  survey  this  locality  before  I  do 
anything  else." 

"  I  am  with  you." 

"  I  did  not  expect  to  find  anything  like  a  flat 
surface  here,"  continued  the  lieutenant,  as  he 
started  to  walk  towards  a  high  bluff  in  the  di 
rection  from  which  they  had  come. 

It  was  only  a  couple  of  rods  from  the  water, 
and  the  flat  space  where  they  had  come  ashore 
was  evidently  made  by  the  caving  of  the  earth 
along  the  bluff,  when  the  river  had  been  even 
higher  than  at  present.  It  was  a  hill  which  had 
possibly  turned  the  river  aside  from  its  westerly 
course  to  the  south  at  some  remote  period  in 
the  past.  There  was  just  such  a  bluff  on  the 
other  side  of  the  tongue  of  land,  and  possibly  a 
hill  there  had  again  changed  the  river's  course  to 
the  westward.  But  Deck's  theory  explained  the 


334      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

presence  of  the  fortunate  flat  where  they  had 
landed. 

"Now  we  must  find  a  way  to  get  up  on  the 
hill  above  the  high  bluff,"  said  he,  as  he  led 
the  way  up  the  river. 

Beyond  the  bluff  the  bank  of  the  river  was 
the  same  as  it  had  been  all  the  way  from  the 
fort,  and  the  flat  came  to  a  sudden  ending. 

"  Here  is  a  flatboat,"  said  Ben,  who  was  the 
first  to  discover  it.  "  Somebody  must  live  near 
here." 

"This  looks  like  a  path  up  the  bank,"  added 
Deck,  who  had  been  studying  the  river  above. 
"I  think  this  must  be  a  ferry,  Ben;  though  I 
should  suppose  the  ferryman  would  find  it  hard 
work  to  get  through  the  current  that  brought 
us  down." 

It  was  plain  that  some  work  had  been  done 
on  the  path  leading  up  the  bank,  which  was  di 
agonal  with  the  steep  slope.  It  had  been  dug 
out,  and  in  the  steepest  parts  there  was  some 
thing  built  for  a  fence  or  a  hand-rail.  On  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  from  Robertsport  there 
was  a  road  to  the  one  extending  from  Harrison 


BOAT   VOYAGE   DOWN   THE   GREAT   RIVER       335 

to  Somerset.  Doubtless  the  ferry,  if  there  was 
one,  was  for  the  use  of  travellers  into  Wayne 
County,  all  of  which  lay  on  the  south  side  of  the 
river. 

The  fugitives  were  ready  to  mount  the  bluff 
by  the  path;  but  first  they  went  back  to  the 
boat,  which  might  be  of  use  to  them  later  if 
they  had  occasion  to  renew  the  voyage  down  the 
stream.  They  drew  it  back,  and  concealed  it 
behind  a  huge  rock  which  the  current  had  laid 
bare.  Then  they  mounted  the  path  to  the  top 
of  the  bluff.  Not  ten  rods  from  the  shore  they 
found  a  cabin,  around  which  were  some  fruit- 
trees  and  the  dried  stalks  of  corn,  showing  that 
the  land  had  been  cultivated. 

"  This  is  some  negro's  house,"  said  Ben,  as 
they  halted  under  a  tree  not  two  rods  from  the 
cabin,  which  was  nothing  more  than  a  shanty. 

"It  looks  like  one.  Very  likely  the  ferryman 
lives  here,"  replied  Deck.  "  But  there  is  some 
kind  of  a  row  going  on  in  that  cabin." 

"  It  seems  to  be  lighted  up  as  though  some 
thing  was  happening  there  at  this  time  of  night. 
We  will  go  up  nearer  and  look  into  the  matter," 


336  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

returned  Ben,  as  he  walked  towards  the  cabin, 
and  stationed  himself  at  the  only  window  on  that 
side  of  the  building. 

They  listened  for  some  time,  and  heard  the 
voices  of  four  different  white  men,  as  they  judged 
from  their  dialect. 

"I  done  tole  you  I  can't  cross  de  riber  to 
night.  We  should  all  be  drownded,  shore,"  re 
plied  an  unmistakable  negro. 


FOUR  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      337 


CHAPTER   XXVI 

FOUR    FUGITIVES  FROM   THE    BATTLE-FIELD 

THE  whinnying  of  a  horse  near  the  two  wander 
ers  attracted  their  attention,  and  Fronklyn  went 
over  to  look  at  the  animal.  He  found  four  of 
them  hitched  to  the  trees,  all  of  them  wearing 
cavalry  saddles.  The  sergeant  still  had  his  car 
bine  slung  at  his  back.  He  unslung  the  firearm, 
thinking  he  might  have  occasion  to  use  it.  He 
knew  the  lieutenant  had  reloaded  his  revolver 
after  making  with  it  the  holes  across  the  board 
which  had  proved  so  serviceable  to  them. 

In  his  report  to  the  Confederate  authorities 
at  Richmond,  General  Crittenden  alludes  to  a 
battalion  of  cavalry,  of  which  some  officers  and 
privates  were  absent  on  furloughs,  and  of  which 
all  but  about  twenty-five  ran  away.  It  is  pos 
sible  that  the  four  troopers  who  were  trying  to 
force  the  negro  to  ferry  them  over  the  river 
belonged  to  the  number. 


338  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"Cavalry,"  said  the  sergeant  as  he  returned  to 
the  lieutenant. 

"  They  have  threatened  to  shoot  the  negro  if 
he  don't  ferry  them  over  to  Robertsport,"  added 
Deck,  who  had  remained  at  the  window  of  the 
shanty.  "They  called  him  Cuffy;  and  when  they 
threatened  to  kill  him,  he  rushed  out  of  the 
house.  I  saw  him  go  into  the  barn  or  outhouse 
in  the  rear.  The  men  lost  sight  of  him  when 
they  followed  him  out,  and  perhaps  thinking  he 
had  gone  to  his  boat,  they  went  off  in  that  direc 
tion.  Let  us  find  the  negro." 

They  went  to  the  shanty,  which  did  duty  as 
a  barn ;  but  Cuffy  had  concealed  himself,  and 
they  could  not  find  him.  Deck  called  him  by 
name  several  times ;  and  if  the  ferryman  was  not 
extremely  stupid,  he  could  understand  that  neither 
his  voice  nor  his  speech  was  that  of  the  troopers. 

"  Who's  dar  ? "  responded  the  negro,  after  a 
long  delay. 

"Come  out  here,  and  we  will  help  you  out  of 
your  trouble,"  added  Deck. 

"Who  be  you  uns?"  inquired  Cuffy,  which 
proved  later  to  be  his  real  surname. 


FOUR  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      339 

"  We  are  your  friends." 

"  Whar  dem  sogers  now  ?  "  asked  the  terrified 
ferryman. 

"  They  moved  off  towards  the  river." 

"  Den  dey  done  gone  to  steal  my  boat!  "  groaned 
the  negro,  coming  out  of  his  hiding-place  with 
a  gun  in  his  hand. 

As  the  wanderers  followed  him  out  of  the  barn, 
they  saw  in  the  darkness  that  his  head  was  thickly 
covered  with  white  wool,  and  he  must  have  been 
well  along  in  years.  He  evidently  kept  his  gun 
and  ammunition  in  this  out-building,  for  he  had 
a  powder-horn  and  shot-bag  suspended  from  his 
shoulders. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  that  gun, 
Cuffy?"  asked  Deck,  who  was  rather  astonished 
to  see  him  armed. 

"  I's  gwine  to  shoot  one  of  dose  men  if  dey  try 
to  kill  me,  as  dey  done  sworn  dey  would,"  replied 
the  ferryman. 

"  Better  not  do  anything  of  that  kind,  Cuffy," 
said  Deck.  "  We  will  stand  by  you,  and  we  can 
fire  shots  enough  to  kill  the  whole  of  them." 

"  Who  be  you  uns,  Mars'r  ? "  asked  the  ferry- 


340  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

man,  gazing  at  them,  and  trying  to  make  them  out 
in  the  darkness. 

"  We  are  Union  soldiers,  just  escaped  from  the 
enemy,"  answered  Deck. 

"Bress  de  Lo'd  !  "  exclaimed  the  negro.  "  Dem 
men  was  Seceshers,  and  is  gwine  to  steal  my  boat. 
It's  all  I  have  to  make  a  little  money  for  de  con 
tribution-box,  and  ef  I  lose  it  I'm  done  ruinged." 

"Never  mind  the  boat,  Cuffy,"  continued  Deck, 
as  he  led  the  way  to  the  four  horses ;  for  he  had 
seen  the  Southrons  go  off  on  foot,  and  knew  they 
had  not  taken  them.  "  Mount  one  of  these  ani 
mals,  Ben." 

He  led  out  one  of  them,  and  put  himself  in 
the  saddle,  while  the  sergeant  did  the  same  with 
another. 

"  Can  you  ride  a  horse,  Cuffy  ? "  asked  the 
lieutenant. 

"  I  done  ride  'em  all  my  life." 

"  Get  one  of  the  others,  then.  Can  we  get  to 
the  ferry  on  horseback?" 

"For  sartin,  Mars'r;  some  folks  goes  down  to 
de  boat  on  bosses,  and  we  swim  'em  ober  de 
riber,"  replied  Cuffy,  as  he  mounted  the  animal 
he  had  chosen.  "  My  son  comes  ober  dat  way." 


FOUK  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      341 

"  Now  lead  the  way  to  the  ferry.  Do  they 
know  where  you  keep  your  boat  ?  " 

"Dunno,  Mars'r;   but  I  reckon  dey  find  it." 

Cuffy  conducted  the  wanderers  nearly  to  the 
Harrison  road,  and  then  took  a  path  towards  the 
river,  arriving  in  a  few  minutes  at  the  head  of 
the  descent  to  the  flat  below. 

"Not  too  far,  Cuffy;  fall  back  a  little,  where 
the  men  cannot  see  you,"  said  Deck  in  a  low 
tone. 

"  But  I's  gwine  to  shoot  'em  if  dey  touch  my 
boat,"  said  the  owner,  his  determination  indicated 
in  his  tones. 

"Don't  do  it,  and  don't  let  them  see  you," 
added  Deck  in  a  low  tone,  but  with  energy 
enough  to  impress  the  negro. 

"Dey  gwine  to  steal  my  boat!  "  groaned 
Cuffy;  and  his  agony  seemed  to  be  intense. 
"  Den  whar  I  git  any  money  for  de  missions  ?  " 

"  Never  mind  your  boat,  man.  I  saw  it  down 
below ;  it  is  not  worth  much,  and  I  wouldn't 
give  two  dollars  for  it,"  said  Deck  somewhat 
impatiently. 

"I  takes  folks  ober  de  riber  in  it,  and  some 


342  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

days  I  makes  twenty  cents  wid  it.  Can't  affode 
to  lose  it,  Mars'r,"  protested  Cuffy. 

"If  you  lose  it,  I  will  give  you  another." 

"Dat  so?     Whar's  yo'  boat?" 

"It  is  down  below  there,  and  you  will  not 
have  to  wait  a  single  hour  for  it." 

"  Whar  you  git  dat  boat,  Mars'r  ?  " 

"No  matter  about  that  now;  I  will  tell  you 
when  we  have  more  time,"  replied  Deck,  as  he 
rode  his  horse  to  a  tree,  followed  by  both  of  his 
companions,  and  secured  him  to  the  sapling,  as 
did  the  others. 

Returning  to  the  bank,  they  lay  down  upon  the 
ground,  where  they  could  see  the  four  troopers 
without  being  seen.  They  had  found  the  negro's 
flatboat,  and  carried  it  to  the  stream.  This  was 
done,  perhaps,  half  a  mile  above  where  the  wan 
derers  had  landed,  and  the  current  was  not  so 
violent  as  it  was  where  the  water  concentrated 
all  its  force  against  the  lofty  bluff. 

The  Southrons  put  the  boat  into  the  water  after 
they  had  tipped  it  over,  and  emptied  out  the 
leakage  or  the  rain  which  it  contained.  Then 
they  seated  themselves  equidistant  fore  and  aft 
in  the  rickety  craft,  and  pushed  off. 


FOUR  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      343 

"I  knowed  dey  was  gwine  to  steal  my  boat," 
groaned  Cuffy  again,  as  the  skiff  receded  from 
the  shore. 

"  Don't  say  that  again  !  "  said  Deck,  disgusted 
with  the  ferryman.  "  If  you  do,  I  won't  give  you 
any  boat  for  the  one  you  lose  !  " 

"I  lub  dat  boat,  Mars'r.  Berry  ole  friend  ob 
mine,"  pleaded  Cuffy. 

"Say  no  more  about  it;  perhaps  you  will  get 
it  again,  for  those  men  only  wish  to  get  across 

the  river,"  added  Deck  in  a  milder  tone.     "  You 

« 

would  not  take  them  over,  and  they  intend  to 
ferry  themselves  across." 

"  I  can't  ferry  dem  ober  in  de  night,  when  de 
riber  is  ragin'  like  a  roarin'  lion  seekin'  wem  he 
mout  devour.  No,  sar;  ef  Mars'r  looks  long 
enough,  he  's  see  dem  men  all  devoured  like  as 
ef  de  ragin'  lion  had  'em  in  his  gills,"  said  Cuffy 
very  impressively,  as  though  he  was  within  hail 
of  a  funeral.  "Don't  b'lebe  dey  done  been  con 
verted." 

Two  of  the  troopers  had  paddles,  or  some- 
tiling  that  was  a  cross  between  a  paddle  and  an 
oar ;  for  the  wanderers  had  seen  them  in  the  boat 


344      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

in  the  darkness.  They  forced  the  skiff  out  into 
the  current,  headed  directly  for  the  opposite  .shore. 
They  did  very  well  so  far ;  but  in  a  few  moments 
more  the  full  strength  of  the  stream  struck  them, 
and  the  flimsy  craft  was  carried  down  the  stream 
at  a  rapid  rate.  They  were  farther  out  than  tl>e 
keel-boat  had  been;  and  the  rushing  water,  lifted 
into  waves  by  its  own  force,  began  to  tumble 
about  as  it  would  have  done  in  the  wilder  rapids 
of  Niagara. 

None  of  the  four  were  skilful  boatmen,  and 
there  seemed  to  be  no  one  in  particular  in  the 
skiff  to  take  the  lead.  As  usually  happens  on 
such  occasions,  the  two  men  without  paddles  were 
frightened,  and  stood  up,  which  was  the  worst 
possible  thing  they  could  do.  The  two  who  were 
managing  the  boat  did  not  agree  as  to  the  method 
of  handling  it,  and  each  wanted  his  own  way  of 
doing  it.  Each  of  them  was  sure  he  could  do  it, 
and  that  the  other  could  not. 

The  couple  with  the  paddles  could  not  use 
them;  and  the  skiff  whirled  as  it  mounted  the 
waves,  and  then  it  heeled  over  from  one  side  to 
the  other.  The  two  men  who  were  standing  up 


FOUR  FUGITIVES  FKOM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      345 

jumped  from  one  side  to  the  other ;  then  one  of 
them  lost  his  balance,  and  tumbled  overboard. 
The  second  tried  to  save  him,  and  one  of  the  two 
with  the  paddles  went  to  his  assistance,  the  result 
of  this,  throwing  the  weight  nearly  over  on  one 
side,  capsized  the  boat,  and  the  next  instant  all 
four  of  them  were  floundering  in  the  uneasy  tide. 

"De  boat  done  tip  over!"  exclaimed  Cuffy,  as 
though  his  companions  on  the  bluff  could  not  see 
for  themselves  what  had  happened. 

"  Perhaps  we  can  save  the  men ! "  said  Deck, 
as  he  rose  from  the  ground  and  ran  with  all  his 
might  to  the  path  leading  down  to  the  landing 
of  the  ferry,  closely  followed  by  the  sergeant. 

"Sabe  de  boat!"  shouted  Cuffy,  trying  to 
keep  up  with  them,  though  he  soon  fell  far  be 
hind  them. 

The  lieutenant  was  first  to  reach  the  foot  of 
the  path,  and  saw  the  four  unfortunates  whirling 
through  the  agitated  current,  directly  towards  the 
bluff  where  the  keel-boat  had  been  thrown  on  the 
flat.  They  were  too  far  out  for  him  to  reach 
them,  and  he  could  do  nothing.  It  was  plain 
that  not  one  of  them  could  swim,  and  if  they 


346      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN" 

had  been  able  to  do  so  at  all  they  could  have 
done  nothing  in  the  boiling  'flow  of  the  rapid  cur 
rent.  They  were  swept  down  the  stream,  and 
being  farther  out  from  the  shore  than  the  other 
boat  had  been  they  were  not  dashed  upon  the 
flat. 

Deck  and  Fronklyn  watched  them  till  they  dis 
appeared  behind  the  bend,  though  one  was  seen 
to  go  down  before  he  reached  it,  and  the  others 
must  soon  have  followed  him.  The  skiff  had 
gone  on  ahead  of  them,  and  was  the  first  to  pass 
beyond  the  view  of  the  ol>servers.  The  lieuten 
ant,  with  the  hope  that  he  might  save  the  men  if 
they  were  thrown  on  the  flat  in  an  exhausted  con 
dition,  had  nearly  reached  the  high  bluff.  The 
sergeant  had  ceased  to  hurry  when  he  realized 
that  nothing  could  be  done  for  the  doomed  troop 
ers.  They  had  to  pay  the  penalty  of  their  own 
folly. 

Fronklyn  and  Cuffy  soon  joined  Deck,  the 
negro  putting  all  his  strength  into  his  lamenta 
tions  for  the  loss  of  his  boat.  He  did  not  seem 
to  realize  that  four  men  had  just  passed  into 
eternity;  but  Deck  had  more  charity  for  him 


FOUR  FUGITIVES  FROM  THE  BATTLE-FIELD      34T 

after  he  said  he  loved  the  flimsy  craft,  and  re 
proached  him  no  more. 

"  Your  boat  is  gone  for  the  present,  but  you 
may  find  it  again,"  said  Deck  with  an  effort  to 
comfort  him.  "  It  will  be  cast  ashore  by  the 
current,  or  be  drawn  into  some  eddy.  When 
the  river  gets  quiet  again,  you  can  go  down 
stream  and  find  it  in  some  place  where  the  logs 
gather  on  the  shoal  places." 

"  I  dunno,  Mars'r ;  how  kin  I  go  down  de 
riber  when  I  done  lose  my  boat?"  demanded 
Cuffy. 

"  Come  with  me,"  said  Deck,  as  he  led  the 
way  to  the  rock  behind  which  they  had  left  the 
steamer's  tender.  "  There  is  a  boat  you  can  use 
till  some  one  claims  it." 

"Glory  Hallelujah!"  exclaimed  the  negro, 
when  he  saw  the  keel-boat ;  and  he  was  skilled 
enough  to  perceive  even  in  the  darkness,  that  it 
was  a  vastly  better  one  than  the  skiff  he  had 
lost. 

"Whar  you  git  dat  boat,  Mars'r?"  asked  Cuffy, 
disturbed  by  the  suggestion  that  some  one  might 
claim  it. 


348  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  Can  you  keep  a  secret,  Cuffy  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  Kin  keep  a  hund'ed  on  'em." 

"  That's  too  many  for  one  man  to  keep," 
replied  the  lieutenant,  who  decided  not  to  ad 
mit,  as  he  had  before  intended  to  do,  in  what 
manner  they  had  escaped  from  the  enemy's 
camp.  "  This  boat  belongs  to  the  steamboat  up 
by  Mill  Springs;  we  have  no  further  use  for  it, 
and  we  shall  leave  it  here.  But  you  haven't 
lost  anything  of  any  value  to-night.  We  shall 
want  two  of  the  men's  horses,  as  they  have  no 
further  use  for  them,  and  you  can  keep  the 
other  two,  Cuffy.  You  can  sell  them  for  money 
enough  to  make  you  rich." 

"  Bress  de  Lo'd!"  cried  the  ferryman. 

"  Come  along  now,  and  we  will  go  back  to 
your  shanty,"  said  Deck,  as  he  led  the  way  to 
the  tree  where  the  horses  had  been  secured. 
They  all  mounted,  and  rode  back  to  the  cabin, 
where  the  tired  trooper  and  his  officer  went  to 
bed  in  the  barn  on  some  straw  they  found  there. 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION   ON   THE  HILL      349 


CHAPTER   XXVII 

THE   OWNER    OF   THE   MANSION    ON   THE    HILL 

CUFFY  took  care  of  the  horses,  for  two  of 
them  were  to  belong  to  him,  giving  them  even 
a  feed  of  corn-meal  mixed  with  water,  which  was 
all  he  had  to  give  them.  He  hitched  them  in 
the  barn  with  the  exhausted  soldiers  of  the  River- 
lawn  Cavalry,  though  it  was  rather  close  quar 
ters  for  them.  Deck  preferred  the  out-building 
to  Cuffy's  bed,  which  he  offered  them. 

It  was  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  when  the 
lieutenant  and  the  sergeant  retired  upon  their 
bed  of  straw,  though  there  was  plenty  of  it,  and 
it  was  a  luxury  to  men  who  had  been  accustomed 
to  lie  at  night  on  the  ground.  They  had  been 
fully  twenty-four  hours  on  their  feet,  and  had 
been  through  a  great  deal  of  excitement  during 
the  day  and  the  night.  They  were  asleep  about 
as  soon  as  they  struck  the  bed. 

Cuffy  came  to  the  barn  about  nine  o'clock  in 


350  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  forenoon  to  attend '  to  the  horses.  He  led 
them  all  out  to  water,  and  then  gave  them  an 
other  feed  in  tubs.  His  guests  had  complained 
of  fatigue,  and  he  allowed  them  to  sleep  as  long 
as  they  desired. 

It  was  noon  when  Fronklyn  awoke,  and  he 
had  slept  his  full  eight  hours.  Deck  put  in  an 
other  hour ;  for  he  was  younger  than  his  com 
panion,  and  needed  more  sleep.  The  sergeant 
had  worn  his  overcoat  all  the  day  and  night, 
though  he  had  several  times  been  tempted  to 
throw  it  away,  especially  when  they  were  climb 
ing  down  the  steep  bank  of  the  river.  He  was 
glad  he  had  not  done  so  when  he  went  to  bed 
on  the  straw. 

He  had  given  his  blanket  to  Deck,  though  it 
required  a  great  deal  of  persuasion  to  induce  him 
to  accept  it ;  but  Fronklyn  had  an  overcoat.  It 
was  not  so  cold  as  to  interfere  with  the  slum 
bers  of  the  weary  soldiers ;  and  when  they  woke 
they  felt  like  new  men.  They  went  to  a  brook 
that  flowed  through  the  negro's  farm,  and  had 
a  thorough  wash  to  freshen  them  up.  The  ser 
geant  then  renewed  the  plaster  on  his  head,  and 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION   ON   THE   HILL      351 

examined  the  wound  of  his  companion.  The 
swelling  had  nearly  all  gone  down,  though  there 
was  still  a  soreness  there  ;  but  the  patient  felt 
well  enough  for  duty. 

"  Here  we  are,  Ben  ;  what  is  the  next  move 
on  the  checker-board  ?  "  said  Deck,  as  they  re 
turned  from  the  brook  to  the  barn. 

"  Considering  what  we  have  been  through  since 
the  sun  went  down  last  night,  I  think  we  are 
very  well  fixed  to-day.  We  have  a  couple  of 
horses  to  go  where  we  please,  and  all  we  have 
to  do  is  to  ride  back  to  the  outside  of  the 
Beech-Grove  camp  of  the  enemy;  for  we  have 
seen  enough  of  the  inside  of  it,"  replied  Fronklyn. 

"  We  can't  be  many  miles  from  it ;  and  when 
we  get  there  I  think  we  shall  find  our  army  in 
possession  of  it.  That  steamer  whose  boat  we 
borrowed,  and  the  other  craft  about  there,  must 
have  been  busy  ferrying  the  enemy  across  to  the 
Mill  Springs  fortification,"  added  Deck.  "  But 
what  do  you  suppose  has  become  of  all  those  cav 
alry  men,  and  infantry  too,  that  ran  away  from 
the  battle-field  ?  " 

"  I  don't  imagine  that  a  great  many  of  them 


352    A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

went  back  to  the  intrenchments,  and  probably 
most  of  them  are  wandering  about  the  country 
in  this  vicinity,"  replied  the  sergeant.  "  The 
farmers'  corncribs,  if  there  is  anything  left  in 
them,  will  suffer  for  the  next  week.  They  are 
not  bashful,  those  fellows ;  and  I  have  no  doubt 
they  will  visit  the  houses,  and  order  meals  as  they 
would  at  a  hotel." 

"  We  are  liable  to  meet  them  on  our  way 
back  to  the  camp ;  and  if  we  have  anything  they 
want,  they  are  likely  to  take  it.  Your  blanket 
and  overcoat  would  be  useful  to  them,  and  so 
would  the  horses.  But  I  fancy  they  .would  move 
about  in  small  parties,  and  we  may  be  able  to 
take  care  of  ourselves.  You  have  your  carbine, 
and  I  have  my  revolver." 

"  That  looks  like  a  big  house  on  the  hill  back 
of  us,"  said  Fronklyn,  pointing  to  the  mansion. 

"  Mornin',  Mars'rs  !  "  shouted  Cuffy,  coming 
from  his  shanty  to  meet  them.  "  You  done  git 
up ;  I  don't  'sturb  you,  coz  I  knowed  you  was 
tired  out." 

"  We  are  glad  you  didn't,  and  we  feel  first- 
rate  this  morning.  Whose  house  is  that  on  the 
hill  ?  "  asked  Deck. 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION    ON    THE   HILL      353 

"  Dat's  de  mansion  ob  Cun'l  Hickman,  my  ole 
mars'r,"  replied  Cuffy.  "  He  owns  all  de  land 
'bout  here,  mor'n  tousand  acres.  He  let  me 
live  on  dis  corner  when  he  want  me  to  run  de 
ferry,  and  I  stops  here  eber  since." 

"  Then  he  must  be  very  rich." 

"  Rich !  Dat  ain't  no  name  for't.  He's  got 
more  money 'n  de  Bank  ob  London,  'n  I  reckon 
he  could  buy  out  de  State  of  Kaintuck.  He's 
pow'ful  rich,  Mars'r." 

"  Is  he  a  Secessionist  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  Cun'l  Hickman !  Secesher !  No,  sar !  He's 
de  out-en-outenish  Union  man  in  Kaintuck,"  re 
turned  Cuffy,  whose  politics  were  not  at  all  in 
doubt  with  his  guests.  "De  Seceshers  done 
raided  his  place  fo'  times ;  yesterday  was  de  last 
time,  'n  I  reckon  dem  fellers  dat  wanted  me  to 
ferry  'em  ober  de  riber  in  de  night  is  de  ones 
dat  did  it.  I  done  seen  'em  on  de  hill  fo'  dark. 
I  done  see  lots  o'  men  wid  guns,  and  some  on 
hossback  dis  mornin'  strollin'  'long  de  riber  an' 
ober  de  country." 

"Which  way  did  they  come  from,  Cuffy?" 
inquired  Deck. 


354  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  Most  on  'em  com  'd  down  de  Harrison  road, 
an'  some  on  'em  was  beat'n'  across  de  farm." 

"Have  you  heard  of  the  great  battle  that  was 
fought  over  by  Logan's  Cross  Roads?"  asked  the 
sergeant. 

"I  don't  hear  ob  no  battle,"  replied  the  negro, 
opening  his  eyes  wide  enough  to  let  them  drop 
out  of  their  sockets.  "  Golly  whimpers  !"  sud 
denly  exclaimed  Cuft'y,  turning  his  gaze  towards 
the  mansion  on  the  hill,  "dar  comes  de  cun'l 
on  a  hoss  ! " 

The  lieutenant  and  the  sergeant  looked  in  the 
direction  indicated  by  the  ferryman,  and  saw  a 
man  riding  down  the  hill  at  a  breakneck  speed. 
As  he  came  nearer  they  saw  that  he  was  a  per 
son  over  sixty  years  of  age,  with  long,  flowing 
white  hair,  like  one  of  the  patriarchs  of  old. 
He  wore  a  soft  black  hat,  well  back  on  his  head. 
He  looked  behind  him  frequently,  as  though  he 
expected  something  to  transpire  in  that  direction. 
As  Cuffy  said,  his  mansion  had  been  raided  sev 
eral  times,  and  he  might  have  got  used  to  such 
events. 

"Wa  —  w'a —  w'at's   de   matter,   Cuu'l  Hick- 


OWNEtt    OF   THE   MANSION   ON  THE   HILL      355 

man  ?  "  shouted  the  ferryman,  before  the  gentle 
man  came  within  ten  rods  of  him. 

The  rider  did  not  check  his  speed  till  he  reined 
in  his  horse  in  front  of  the  negro  and  his  guests. 
He  looked  at  the  two  officers  without  giving 
any  attention  to  Cuffy,  and  seemed  to  be  aston 
ished  to  find  them  there. 

"  I  see  that  you  wear  the  blue,"  said  the  col 
onel,  addressing  Deck,  whose  shoulder-straps 
apparently  excited  liis  attention. 

"We  belong  to  the  army  of  the  United  States, 
sir,"  replied  Deck. 

"  Then  how  do  you  happen  to  be  here  ?  "  de 
manded  the  colonel  in  a  tone  and  with  a  look 
of  great  severity. 

"  It  would  take  some  time,  Colonel  Hickman, 
to  answer  your  question  in  full,"  returned  Deck  ; 
"but  I  will  say  that  we  marched  and  fought 
yesterday  from  four  o'clock  in  the  morning  till 
dark,  and  were  practically  prisoners  in  the  camp 
of  the  enemy  at  the  end  of  the  day,  but  es 
caped  in  the  night  in  a  boat  we  took  from  a 
steamer  alongside  the  fortifications  at  Beech 
Grove." 


356  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"Excuse  me  for  speaking  somewhat  abruptly, 
Lieutenant,  and  give  me  your  hand ;  for  I  honor 
every  man  that  fights  or  works  for  his  coun 
try,"  continued  the  colonel.  "  I  am  somewhat 
too  old  to  do  either,  or  I  should  not  be  at 
home." 

Deck  took  the  proffered  hand,  and  it  was 
warmly  pressed  by  the  planter,  and  he  extended 
the  same  courtesy  to  the  sergeant. 

"My  mansion  is  beset  by  a  band  of  ruffians, 
and  I  have  been  obliged  to  flee  for  my  life,"  pur 
sued  the  planter,  glancing  back  at  his  house  as 
though  he  expected  to  see  the  flames  rising 
from  it. 

"  Do  they  mean  to  burn  the  mansion  ?  "  asked 
the  lieutenant,  misinterpreting  the  glance  of  the 
owner. 

"  Not  at  all ;  I  have  no  fear  that  they  will  do 
that,  for  they  are  looking  for  my  money,  for  I 
have  some  concealed  on  my  premises  where  they 
will  never  find  it,"  said  the  planter  with  a  signifi 
cant  shake  of  the  head,  which  was  as  much  as 
to  say,  "I  have  euchred  them!" 

"  I  suppose  the  banks  in  this  part  of  the  State 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION   ON   THE   HILL      357 

are  no  longer  safe  repositories  for  valuables," 
added  Deck. 

"  They  are  not,  and  I  keep  a  comparatively 
small  amount  for  current  expenses  at  hand.  This 
same  band  raided  me  three  days  ago,  and  threat 
ened  to  hang  me  in  front  of  my  mansion  if  I  did 
not  give  up  my  money ;  but  I  would  burn  the 
bank-bills  rather  than  permit  them  to  fall  into  the 
hands  of  these  miscreants.  I  had  a  horse  ready 
as  soon  as  I  saw  the  ruffians  coming  down  the  pri 
vate  road  from  Millersville  ;  and  I  keep  several 
of  my  negroes  on  the  watch  for  them.  I  escaped 
on  my  horse  before,  as  I  have  done  this  time." 

"  How  many  are  there  in  this  band,  Colonel  ?  " 
asked  Deck. 

"  My  negroes  counted  ten  of  them.  These 
raids  are  not  uncommon  events ;  and  there  were 
two  or  three  of  them  within  less  than  ten  miles, 
sometimes  by  the  enemy's  foragers,  and  some 
times  by  partisan  gangs.  The  mansion  of  Mr. 
Halliburn  was  captured  a  few  days  ago  ;  but  a 
very  clever  young  lieutenant,  whose  name  was 
Lyon,  in  command  of  a  detachment  of  cavalry, 
entrapped  the  whole  gang  of  ruffians  in  the  house, 


358      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

and  made  prisoners  of  every  one  of  them,  with 
out  the  loss  of  a  man." 

"  Perhaps  I  know  more  about  that  affair  than 
you  do,  Colonel  Hickman ;  for  my  name  is  Lyon, 
and  I  happen  to  be  the  officer  to  whom  you 
allude,"  replied  Deck,  looking  at  the  ground. 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon  !  Is  it  possible  ?  "  ex 
claimed  the  planter,  taking  the  young  man's 
hand  again. 

"But  we  will  not  talk  about  things  that  are 
passed  and  gone,  Colonel,"  interposed  the  young 
officer.  "  I  wish  I  had  my  platoon,  or  even  half 
of  them,  here.  Now,  what  can  we  do  to  aid  you 
in  this  trouble,  and  free  you  from  the  annoyance 
of  such  enemies  ?  " 

"  As  you  have  only  a  sergeant  with  you,  I 
don't  see  that  you  can  do  anything,  my  young 
friend ;  though  I  am  as  much  obliged  to  you  for 
your  good  intentions  as  though  you  had  a  whole 
army  behind  you,"  said  the  planter.  "I  have 
been  a  soldier  myself,  and  I  was  one  of  the 
young  Kentuckians  that  fought  in  the  battle  of 
New  Orleans  under  General  Jackson." 

"  Have  you  any  arms  at  your  mansion,  sir  ?  " 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION   ON   THE   HILL      359 

inquired  Deck,  as  though  he  had  some  scheme 
in  his  head. 

"Plenty  of  them;  enough  to  supply  half  of 
your  platoon." 

"Can  you  get  back  to  your  house  without 
being  seen,  Colonel  ?  " 

"Easily;  back  of  my  house  is  an  avenue, 
planted  with  trees,  by  which  I  once  made  my 
escape  while  they  were  looking  for  me.  You 
can  see  it  on  the  south  side  of  the  hill ;  and 
it  extends  down  to  the  river,  the  last  part  of 
it  on  the  tongue  of  land,  so  that  it  has  the 
stream  on  each  side  of  it,"  the  old  soldier  ex 
plained. 

"If  you  have  such  a  quantity  of  arms,  where 
do  you  keep  them  ?  " 

"  In  the  spring-house,  the  brick  building  on 
the  brook,  which  you  cannot  see  from  here.  "  I 
have  five  sons  and  one  daughter ;  two  of  the 
boys  are  in  the  army,  and  three  are  past  the 
military  age,  though  they  belong  to  the  Millers- 
ville  Home  Guards,  and  were  called  out  for  duty 
three  days  ago.  I  expect  them  home  soon ;  but 
they  have  been  gone  four  days  now.  My  over- 


360  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

seer,  his  assistant,  and  two  mechanics,  went 
over  to  see  the  fight  yesterday  afternoon,  and 
they  have  not  yet  returned." 

"  Dar  dey  is,  Mars'r  Cun'l!"  shouted  Cuffy, 
pointing  to  the  Harrison  road,  down  which  three 
mounted  riflemen  were  riding. 

"  I  am  glad  to  see  them,"  added  the  planter, 
as  the  men  came  up  the  hill. 

The  father  greeted  them  heartily,  and  they  be 
gan  to  tell  what  service  they  had  rendered  dur 
ing  the  preceding  day  on  the  right  flank  of  the 
field  of  battle.  One  of  them  happened  to  turn 
his  head,  and  saw  Deck ;  and,  interrupting  the 
conversation  that  was  going  on,  he  shouted,  — 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon ! " 

The  other  two,  who  had  also  been  with  the 
riflemen  under  command  of  Captain  Ripley,  re 
peated  the  exclamation. 

"  We  fought  under  the  command  of  Lieuten 
ant  Lyon  most  of  the  day  yesterday,  and  he  is 
one  of  the  ablest  and  bravest  officers  in  the  ser 
vice,"  said  one  of  the  sons.  "He  is"  — 

"  We  will  hear  that  another  time,  Mr.  Hickman ; 
and  you  may  have  a  chance  to  fight  under  me 


OWNER   OF   THE   MANSION   ON   THE   HILL      361 

to-day,  for  your  father's  mansion  is  beset  by  a 
band  of  ruffians,  who  threaten  to  hang  him,"  in 
terposed  Deck.  "  We  muster  six  men  now,  and 
I  propose  to  clean  them  out." 

It  was  talked  over  for  a  little  while,  and  the 
party  soon  rode  off  to  one  of  the  openings  of 
the  avenue  by  the  river. 


S62  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


THE   FIGHT   BEGINS   AT   GROVE-HELL   MANSION 

COLONEL  HICKMAN  led  the  way;  and,  like  most 
Kentuckians  of  good  estate,  he  rode  an  excellent 
horse.  He  hurried  the  animal  beyond  the  ca 
pacity  of  the  two  cavalry  horses  which  had  come 
into  the  possession  of  Deck  and  Fronklyn,  and  he 
reached  the  avenue  by  the  river  considerably  in 
advance  of  the  others.  He  rode  into  the  open 
ing,  and  disappeared  behind  the  trees. 

By  this  time  the  lieutenant  had  an  oppor 
tunity  to  examine  this  approach  to  the  mansion. 
The  road  was  not  more  than  thirty  feet  wide, 
with  three  rows  of  trees  on  each  side  of  it,  so 
that  it  was  really  a  grove  consisting  of  a  variety 
of  trees.  It  had  evidently  been  laid  out  many 
years  before,  for  the  ground  was  completely 
shaded.  The  mansion  faced  the  Millersville  road, 
and  in  the  rear  of  it  was  quite  a  village  of  out 
buildings. 


THE    FIGHT   AT   GKOVE-HILL   MANSION        363 

The  planter  halted  as  soon  as  he  was  in  the 
avenue,  and  waited  till  the  others  joined  him. 
After  all  that  had  been  said  about  him  by  the 
sons,  he  was  willing  to  leave  the  management  of 
the  affair  to  Lieutenant  Lyon  ;  for,  young  as  he 
was,  he  had  obtained  some  experience  in  defeating 
and  capturing  such  marauders  as  those  who  had 
taken  possession  of  the  great  house  on  the  hill. 
The  ruffians  were  after  the  colonel's  money ;  a  gen 
tleman  as  wealthy  as  he  was  reputed  to  be  must 
have  a  considerable  sum  on  hand,  as  he  had  ad 
mitted,  for  the  payment  of  his  ordinary  expenses. 

Deck  had  asked  but  few  questions  in  regard 
to  the  situation,  preferring  to  inform  himself 
more  fully  when  he  had  seen  the  premises. 
The  avenue,  or  grove,  was  as  the  owner  had 
descril>ed  it.  At  the  point  where  the  party  had 
passed  into  it,  the  mansion  could  not  be  seen 
at  all  through  the  dense  foliage  of  the  trees ; 
and  the  approach  to  it  was  entirely  safe,  even 
if  the  ruffians  had  placed  some  of  their  number 
on  guard  outside  of  the  dwelling.  The  covered 
road  was  not  entirely  straight,  for  several  bends 
and  curves  made  it  more  picturesque  than  it 
would  otherwise  have  been. 


364  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

It  was  certainly  a  very  pleasant  place  for  a 
ride  on  a  warm  day ;  and  the  young  lieutenant 
had  taste  enough  to  appreciate  and  admire  it, 
though  under  the  circumstances  he  could  not 
use  much  of  his  time  in  examining  its  beauties, 
which  he  would  have  been  pleased  to  do  at  a 
more  convenient  season.  Just  then  he  looked  at 
it  as  a  strategist  rather  than  as  a  lover  of  art. 

"  I  don't  quite  understand,  Colonel  Hickman, 
how  you  succeeded  in  getting  away  from  your 
mansion  without  having  a  bullet  planted  some 
where  in  your  head  or  body,"  said  Deck,  as  he 
surveyed  the  surroundings.  "  You  came  directly 
down  the  hill,  and  not  through  this  avenue." 

"As  I  have  told  you  before,  I  have  been  on 
the  lookout  for  these  miscreants  since  their  for 
mer  visit,  when  they  threatened  to  hang  me  to 
one  of  my  trees  if  I  did  not  give  up  what  money 
I  had  on  hand,"  replied  the  planter.  "I  was 
alone  on  the  estate,  and  of  course  I  could  not 
defend  myself  against  ten  men  armed  with  rifles 
or  muskets.  I  kept  half  a  dozen  of  my  negroes 
on  the  watch  upon  the  road,  to  notify  me  of  their 
coming.  I  had  my  horse  saddled  and  bridled  all 


THE  FIGHT   AT   GROVE-HILL  MANSION       365 

the  time.  As  soon  as  I  was  informed  that  the 
ruffians  were  coming,  I  hastened  to  the  stable, 
mounted,  and  rode  down  the  hill  by  the  shortest 
way,  in  the  direction  of  the  road  to  Harrison. 
I  did  not  expect  to  obtain  assistance  before  I 
reached  Jamestown,  where  I  thought  some  of  the 
Federal  troops  might  be  posted.  I  was  glad  to 
find  you  at  Cuffy's,  and  rejoiced  to  meet  my  sons 
again/' 

"  If  there  are  ten  of  the  ruffians,  we  shall  still 
be  outnumbered,"  added  Deck.  "  But  I  hope  we 
shall  be  able  to  outmanceuvre  them." 

"  My  sons  are  riflemen,  and  they  are  dead  shots 
at  a  long  distance,"  said  the  colonel. 

"  I  am  aware  of  that,  for  I  have  seen  them 
shoot  with  the  rest  of  Captain  Ripley's  men.  I 
think  we  had  better  be  on  the  march,"  added 
the  lieutenant.  "  We  will  send  out  a  couple  of 
pickets  to  feel  the  way  for  us.  Sergeant  Fronk- 
lyn  shall  go  for  one,  and  with  him  one  of  your 
sons,  to  show  him  the  way  and  explain  the  sit 
uation." 

"  Warren  shall  accompany  him,  and  can  give 
him  all  the  information  he  needs,"  the  planter 
decided. 


366  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

The  sergeant  and  the  planter's  son  started 
the  horses,  and  rode  off  at  full  gallop;  but  they 
did  not  continue  at  this  speed  for  more  than 
half-way  to  the  top  of  the  hill,  and  they  soon 
disappeared  -at  a  bend  in  the  avenue.  Deck 
and  the  rest  of  the  party  followed. 

"  I  think  we  had  better  leave  our  horses  here," 
said  Fronklyn,  as  he  reined  in  his  steed.  "  The 
sound  of  the  horses'  feet  may  betray  us." 

"  I  obey  your  orders,  Sergeant ;  but  the  villains 
will  not  hear  us  at  this  distance,"  replied  Warren 
Hickman.  "  I  have  no  doubt  they  are  looking 
for  the  money  in  the  house." 

At  this  suggestion  they  rode  some  distance 
farther ;  and,  turning  another  bend,  Fronklyn  dis 
covered  a  three-story  building  at  what  appeared 
to  be  the  end  of  the  avenue.  He  stopped  his 
horse,  and  was  decidedly  opposed  to  riding  any 
farther.  He  could  not  yet  see  the  mansion  ;  but 
through  the  trees  he  saw  several  other  build 
ings. 

"  What  is  the  three-story  house  ?  "  asked  the 
sergeant. 

"  That  is  the  stable ;   but  it  is  built  on  the  side 


THE   FIGHT   AT   GROVE-HILL   MANSION       367 

of  the  hill,  and  there  are  only  two  stories  on  the 
front,"  replied  Warren. 

Both  of  the  riders  dismounted ;  and,  after  secur 
ing  the  horses  to  the  trees,  they  walked  to  the 
stable.  The  lower  part  was  a  cellar  in  the  side- 
hill,  and  appeared  to  be  used  as  a  place  for  sto 
rage.  The  planter's  son  led  the  way  into  this 
apartment,  and  then  mounted  the  stairs  leading 
to  the  middle  story.  There  were  half  a  dozen 
horses  there,  and  stalls  for  as  many  more.  The 
doors  were  wide  open,  and  the  pickets,  or  scouts, 
moved  about  very  carefully. 

Warren  then  looked  out  of  the  doors  and  win 
dows  ;  but  not  a  person  could  be  seen,  except 
some  negro  men  and  women,  who  appeared  to  be 
skulking  about  the  premises,  apparently  ready  to 
run  away  in  case  of  danger.  The  sergeant  and 
the  rifleman  had  both  unslung  their  firearms,  and 
were  ready  for  business  if  they  discovered  any  of 
the  marauders.  The  planter's  son  then  ascended 
to  the  hayloft,  and  from  the  windows  there  sur 
veyed  all  that  could  be  seen  of  the  premises 
from  them. 

"  We  don't  get  ahead  much,"  said  Warren,  as 


368 

he  descended  the  stairs.  "  I  must  get  at  one  of 
the  servants,  though  they  all  seem  to  keep  out 
of  harm's  way." 

"  It  is  time  for  us  to  know  the  situation  here," 
replied  Fronklyn,  as  he  followed  his  companion 
down  the  stairs. 

As  a  matter  of  precaution,  Warren  closed  the 
great  doors,  though  a  smaller  one  was  left  open 
on  one  side  of  them.  They  found  that  all  the 
horses  in  the  stable  were  saddled  and  bridled  for 
use.  While  he  was  wondering  what  this  meant, 
a  dozen  blacks  rushed  in  through  the  open  door. 
They  seemed  to  be  greatly  alarmed. 

Adjoining  the  stable  on  each  side  were  the  car 
riage-houses  ;  and  Warren  hastened  into  one  of 
them,  supposing  that  the  marauders  were  pursu 
ing  them  ;  but  no  enemy  followed  them.  The  ne 
groes  went  into  the  stalls,  and  began  to  lead  out 
the  horses. 

"What  does  all  that  mean,  Warren?"  asked 
Fronklyn  in  a  whisper. 

"I  don't  know,"  replied  the  planter's  son,  as 
he  cocked  his  rifle,  arid  returned  to  the  stable. 
"  What  are  you  about  here  ?  "  he  demanded. 


THE   FIGHT   AT   GROVE-HILL   MANSION       369 

"  Mars'r  Warren !  "  exclaimed  several  of  them. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  the  horses, 
Phil?"  asked  Warren. 

"  Who  shut  the  big  doors,  Mars'r  Warren  ?  " 
asked  Phil,  who  appeared  to  be  an  upper  servant 
of  some  kind. 

"What  are  you  going  to  do  with  the  horses, 
Phil  ?  "  exclaimed  the  planter's  son  angrily. 

"  I  thought  the  robbers  had  got  into  the  stable, 
and  I  wanted  to  save  the  horses,"  replied  the  ser 
vant,  breaking  down  at  the  tone  of  the  master's 
son. 

*'You  are  lying,  Phil!  You  would  not  have 
dared  to  come  into  the  stable  if  you  had  supposed 
the  robbers  were  here." 

"We  was  gwine  to  run  away  on  de  hosses," 
added  a  very  black  fellow. 

"  Don't  know  who  shut  de  big  doors,  Mars'r, 
if  de  robbers  don't  do  it,"  said  another,  who  was 
evidently  a  field-hand. 

"  I  didn't  think  there  was  more'n  one  of  them 
here,"  added  Phil,  as  he  held  up  a  revolver  with 
which  he  had  armed  himself  after  the  departure 
of  the  planter.  "  I  meant  to  kill  him,  and  get 
away  with  the  horses." 


370  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  Perhaps  you  would  have  done  so." 

"  I  do  it  for  sure." 

"  Now,  where  are  the  robbers  ?  "  asked  Warren. 

"  In  the  house.  We  don't  see  any  for  more'n 
half  an  hour.  I  think  they  looked  part  of  the 
house  over  to  find  the  money,  and  then  went  up 
stairs  to  hunt  for  it,"  replied  Phil,  who  appeared 
to  be  an  intelligent  fellow,  far  superior  to  the  rest 
of  them. 

"  Very  well ;  you  may  get  on  the  horses,  and 
ride  down  the  avenue  till  you  meet  the  colonel," 
added  the  son  of  the  planter.  "  Now.  Sergeant, 
we  will  find  the  condition  of  things  in  the 
house." 

The  negroes  led  all  the  horses  down  an  inclined 
plane  into  the  cellar.  This  was  not  an  uncom 
mon  device  in  large  cities  to  economize  space  ;  but 
the  planter  had  caused  it  to  be  built  for  just  such 
an  emergency  as  the  present,  and  he  had  made 
his  escape  in  this  manner  from  the  estate.  The 
terrified  servants  mounted  the  horses  in  the  cel 
lar,  and  entered  the  avenue  by  the  way  Warren 
and  the  sergeant  had  left  it. 

The  two  scouts  passed  out  of  the  stable  by  the 


THE   FIGHT    AT   GROVE-HILL   MANSION       371 

same  door.  Keeping  behind  the  outbuildings, 
they  reached  the  side  of  the  mansion.  Passing 
entirely  around  it,  they  looked  in  at  every  window 
very  cautiously;  but  were  unable  to  see  a  single 
guerilla  on  the  lower  floor.  By  an  outside  door 
they  went  into  the  cellar  of  the  dwelling.  They 
found  several  places  where  the  earth  had  been 
dug  up,  but  not  a  man  was  to  be  seen. 

"  Now,  Warren,  I  am  going  up-stairs ;  and  I 
should  like  to  have  you  return  to  the  avenue,  and 
bring  up  the  rest  of  our  party  as  quickly  as  pos 
sible,"  said  Fronklyn  in  a  low  tone. 

"Up-stairs!"  exclaimed  the  planter's  son.  "Do 
you  mean  to  throw  away  your  life  ?  " 

"Not  if  I  know  myself;  but  I  wish  the  lieu 
tenant  was  here,"  replied  the  sergeant,  who  had 
noted  the  stairs  that  led  to  the  next  floor. 

"  I  will  do  as  you  say,  Sergeant ;  but  I  hardly 
expect  to  find  you  alive  when  I  come  back," 
answered  Warren. 

UI  believe  I  can  take  care  of  myself;  and  I 
think  these  ruffians  have  put  themselves  just 
where  we  want  them,"  said  Fronklyn,  recalling 
the  strategy  at  Mr.  Halliburn's  mansion. 


372  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 

Warren  left  the  cellar  by  the  same  way  they 
had  entered,  and.  made  his  way  around  the  out 
buildings  to  the  avenue.  Fronklyn  stole  up  the 
stairs,  after  he  had  removed  his  shoes,  and  looked 
into  half  a  dozen  rooms  on  the  first  floor.  The 
carpets  had  been  partly  torn  up,  the  furniture 
overturned  and  broken  up,  the  closets  ransacked, 
and  abundant  other  evidence  that  the  search  for 
money  or  other  valuables  had  been  completed  in 
this  part  of  the  mansion. 

On  the  floors  of  the  second  story  he  could  hear 
the  tramp  of  shoes,  the  cracking  and  snapping  of 
furniture,  and  the  rough  speech  of  coarse  men. 
The  search  for  money  was  still  in  progress  ;  and 
the  planter's  son  was  sure  the  marauders  would 
not  find  that  which  they  were  seeking.  The 
money  might  be  safe,  but  that  was  certainly  not 
the  case  with  the  mansion  and  furniture. 

In  the  great  hall,  in  a  corner  behind  the  front 
door,  the  sergeant  found  a  large  steel  safe,  with 
its  door  wide  open,  and  entirely  empty.  The 
planter  had  evidently  removed  his  valuables, 
including  his  books  and  papers,  to  what  he  be 
lieved  was  a  more  secure  depository  for  them. 


THE   FIGHT   AT   GROVE-HILL   MANSION       373 

The  robbers  had  drawn  it  out  from  the  corner, 
plainly  to  search  behind  it  for  the  hidden  treasure. 
Fronklyn  opened  the  front  door  of  the  mansion, 
and  then  deposited  himself  behind  the  safe,  the 
house  door  concealing  him  on  the  open  side. 

His  carbine  was  in  condition  for  immediate  use, 
and  he  had  taken  a  revolver  from  the  horse  he 
had  ridden  belonging  to  the  trooper  who  had  per 
ished  in  the  river.  The  noise  up-stairs  contin 
ued,  and  he  had  become  somewhat  impatient  for 
the  appearance  of  the  rest  of  the  party.  He  was 
inclined  to  "  open  the  ball ;  "  but  he  concluded 
that  it  would  be  a  piece  of  rashness  for  him  to 
do  so,  and  he  refrained  from  doing  anything. 
Between  the  door  and  the  safe  he  obtained  a  full 
view  of  the  head  of  the  staircase. 

"  There    comes   the    planter !  "    shouted   some 

one  in  the  hall  above. 

( 
"  Hang  him  !  "  yelled  another. 

"  Down-stairs  all  together !  "  cried  the  first 
speaker,  who  was  perhaps  the  leader  of  the 
ruffians. 

He  was  the  first  to  appear  at  the  landing. 
Several  voices  repeated  the  cry  to  hang  the 


374       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

colonel.  At  that  moment  a  shot  was  heard,  and 
the  first  ruffian  came  tumbling  down  the  steps. 
The  next  instant  the  one  behind  him  shared  his 
fate,  and  both  of  them  lay  motionless  at  the  foot 
of  the  stairs. 

A  moment  later  Deck  rushed  in  through  the 
open  door,  followed  by  the  three  riflemen. 


A   NEW    METHOD   OF   OPERATIONS  375 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

A   NEW   METHOD    OF    OPERATIONS. 

THE  fall  of  the  two  ruffians  evidently  created 
a  panic  among  the  robbers,  for  they  all  retreated 
from  the  head  of  the  staircase.  They  could  not 
see  the  person  who  had  fired  the  shots.  Fronk- 
lyn  had  used  the  heavy  revolver  of  the  trooper, 
reserving  his  carbine  for  more  difficult  practice. 
There  was  a  pause,  for  no  more  victims  were  in 
sight. 

"You  are  in  a  dangerous  position,  Lieutenant 
Lyon,"  said  the  sergeant,  as  soon  as  Deck  rushed 
into  the  hall. 

"Where  are  you,  Sergeant?"  asked  the  officer, 
as  he  retired  from  his  exposed  situation. 

"Behind  the  safe,"  replied  Fronklyn.  "Ask 
one  of  the  planter's  sons  if  there  are  any  other 
stairs  from  above." 

"Another  staircase  at  the  rear  of  the  hall," 
answered  Warren. 


876  A   LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  Go  there  quick !  "  said  Deck,  as  soon  as  he 
had  mastered  the  situation.  "If  any  one  at 
tempts  to  come  down,  shoot  him  on  the  instant ! 
But  let  them  surrender  if  they  will  do  so." 

"Surrender!  "  exclaimed  Harlan  in  disgust. 
"I  don't  feel  exactly  like  letting  one  of  the  men 
that  want  to  hang  my  father  surrender." 

"  Let  them  surrender !  "  replied  Deck  very  de 
cidedly. 

"  From  my  position  I  could  manage  the  whole 
of  them,"  interposed  the  sergeant. 

"  You  are  in  a  safe  place  to  do  so,"  added  the 
lieutenant. 

"Some  of  the  party  ought  to  look  out  for  the 
outside  of  the  house,  or  the  ruffians  will  escape 
from  the  windows,"  suggested  the  sergeant. 

"Colonel  Hickman  is  out-doors,  with  his  ne 
groes,  to  keep  watch  of  the  windows,"  answered 
Deck.  "  You  have  begun  the  fight  here  on  the 
plan  we  adopted  at  Mr.  Halliburn's." 

"I  was  thinking  of  fighting  it  out  alone  when 
one  of  the  ruffians  up-stairs  shouted  that  Colonel 
Hickman  was  coming;  and  the  cry  was  to  hang 
him.  They  started  to  come  down,  and  I  dropped 


A  NEW  METHOD  OF  OPERATIONS        377 

two  of  them ;  the  others  ran  away.  I  can  dispose 
of  them  as  fast  as  they  show  themselves,"  Fronk- 
lyn  explained. 

"  Give  them  a  chance  to  surrender  before  you 
kill  them,  Sergeant." 

At  that  moment  a  shot  was  heard  from  the 
rear  end  of  the  hall,  and  the  lieutenant  hastened 
to  ascertain  the  occasion  of  it.  One  of  the  ruf 
fians  had  attempted  to  come  down  the  back 
stairs,  and  Warren  had  put  a  rifle-ball  through 
his  head.  There  were  only  seven  of  the  ma 
rauders  left  in  the  house,  and  the  two  parties 
were  equalized. 

"  Up-stairs !  "  hailed  Deck,  when  the  third  ruf 
fian  had  fallen. 

"  What's  wanted  ?  "  shouted  some  one  who  was 
prudent  enough  to  keep  out  of  sight. 

"  You  may  surrender  if  you  prefer  that  to 
being  shot,"  replied  Deck. 

"On  what  terms  may  we  surrender?"  de 
manded  the  spokesman  of  the  second  floor. 

"No  terms." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  murder  us  all  ? " 

"It  would  serve  you  right.      You  came  here 


378  A   LIEUTENANT    AT   EIGHTEEN 

to  hang  Colonel  Hickman,  and  you  would  have 
done  so  if  he  had  not  found  friends  to  assist  him 
in  defending  his  property  and  his  life,"  added 
the  lieutenant  with  proper  indignation. 

"We  did  not  intend  to  hang  him  if  he  gave 
up  his  money.  He  is  a  rich  man,  and  he  could 
afford  to  part  with  some  of  it,"  said  the  spokes 
man. 

"  That  is  the  argument  of  pirates  and  robbers. 
If  you  wish  to  surrender,  say  so ;  and  do  it 
quick!" 

"We  have  nothing  more  to  say,"  returned  the 
spokesman. 

For  an  hour  longer  the  situation  remained  the 
same.  But  it  required  only  Fronklyn  at  the 
main  staircase,  and  Warren  at  the  rear  one,  to 
keep  the  seven  ruffians  where  they  were.  The 
villains  were  all  armed,  the  planter  said;  and 
the  lieutenant  was  not  willing  to  sacrifice  the 
life  of  even  a  single  member  of  the  loyal  party. 
But  the  sergeant  was  impatient  to  terminate  the 
affair.  Deck  had  seated  himself  in  the  parlor 
in  the  midst  of  the  broken  furniture,  where  he 
could  talk  with  the  sergeant. 


I 


A   NEW    METHOD   OF   OPERATIONS  379 

"  This  is  becoming  ratner  monotonous,"  said  the 
latter. 

"  1  don't  think  it  is  prudent  to  go  up  and  at 
tack  the  ruffians,"  replied  Deck. 

"  But  I  think  that  something  can  be  done  from 
the  outside,"  suggested  Fronklyn. 

"  What  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"I  don't  know." 

"  I  will  go  out  and  see  if  anything  can  be 
done.  I  should  like  to  return  to  the  camp  of 
the  Riverlawns ;  for  I  suppose  my  father  and  the 
others  still  believe  that  you  and  I  were  killed 
in  the  fight  at  the  intrenchments,"  replied  Deck, 
as  he  passed  out  of  the  house  at  the  front 
door. 

He  found  Colonel  Hickman  on  the  end  piazza 
of  the  mansion,  seated  in  one  of  the  armchairs. 
But  he  was  astonished  to  see  the  display  of  arms 
near  him ;  and  he  concluded  that  the  weapons 
the  planter  kept  in  his  spring-house  had  been 
brought  up  by  the  negroes  to  the  piazza.  At 
least  a  dozen  rifles  were  standing  against  the 
side  of  the  house,  and  a  box  of  revolvers  was 
near  them.  On  each  side  of  the  colonel  was  a 


380  A    LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

brass  field-piece,  with  several  boxes  which  he  sup 
posed  contained  ammunition  for  them. 

"  You  seem  to  be  ready  for  battle,  Colonel 
Hickman,"  said  Deck,  as  he  surveyed  the  arma 
ment. 

"  I  am  ready ;  and  I  expect  to  have  a  use  for 
these  rifles  and  field-pieces  before  night,"  replied 
the  planter. 

"  To-day  ?  "  queried  Deck. 

"  I  expected  three  times  as  many  as  came  this 
morning ;  but  I  suppose  the  rest  of  them  have 
cleaned  out  some  other  mansion.  The  ruffians 
in  the  house  promised  to  come  with  thirty  men 
when  they  were  .here  before.  If  all  the  white 
men  belonging  on  the  plantation  had  not  been 
absent,  we  should  never  have  let  this  lot  of  in- 
fernals  come  near  the  place." 

"  But  I  think  we  had  better  get  rid  of  the 
lot  here  now  before  we  entertain  another  horde 
of  them,"  suggested  the  lieutenant. 

"The  sergeant  appeal's  to  have  locked  up  the 
ruffians  in  the  second  story  as  though  he  meant 
to  keep  them  there  the  rest  of  their  natural 
lives,"  replied  the  planter.  "  We  have  not  yet 
lost  a  single  one  of  our  number." 


A  NEW  METHOD  OF  OPERATIONS     381 

"  It  is  the  policy  of  war  to  save  your  own 
men  while  you  destroy  the  enemy,"  added  Deck. 
"The  next  thing  to  be  done  is  to  drive  the  ruf 
fians  out  of  the  house." 

"  That  seems  to  be  easier  said  than  done," 
replied  the  colonel,  with  an  inquiring  look  at  the 
young  officer.  "  How  do  you  propose  to  do  it?  " 

"  I  don't  know  that  it  can  be  done  ;  but  there 
is  nothing  like  trying.  I  suppose  you  are  still 
a  rifleman,  Colonel  Hickman  ?  " 

"  I  am,  as  I  have  been  since  I  was  a  dozen 
years  old.  I  have  my  old  rifle  here,"  he  answered, 
pointing  to  the  dozen  of  them  resting  against  the 
side  of  the  house.  "  I  judge  that  you  have  some 
plan  in  your  busy  young  head,  Lieutenant.  I 
am  ready  to  obey  all  your  orders,  without  regard 
to  my  age." 

Deck  stated  his  plan,  which  he  had  arranged 
after  a  survey  of  the  surroundings  of  the  man 
sion.  It  involved  a  change  of  position  among 
the  men,  the  most  important  of  which  was  pla 
cing  the  planter  behind  the  safe  in  the  hall,  thus 
releasing  Fronklyn  for  more  active  duty.  The 
colonel  was  willing,  and  even  glad,  to  take  the 


382  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

position  assigned  to  him,  and,  like  a  good  soldier, 
asked  no  questions. 

"  But  what  about  the  attack  you  expect  this 
afternoon  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  I  have  put  my  servants  on  picket,  as  they 
have  been  for  several  days.  They  are  all  mounted, 
just  as  they  came  back  from  the  avenue.  They 
are  all  faithful  to  me,  though  I  don't  expect 
them  to  do  any  fighting ;  but  they  can  keep 
watch  as  well  as  white  men." 

"  Then,  if  you  are  ready,  Colonel,  we  will  go 
to  the  front  hall  of  the  house,"  said  the  lieu 
tenant,  as  he  led  the  way. 

At  the  door  he  called  the  sergeant  from  be 
hind  his  breastwork,  and  put  the  planter  in  his 
place.  The  old  soldier  had  hardly  shown  him 
self  in  the  hall  before  a  shot  was  fired  down 
the  stairway.  Doubtless  one  or  more  of  the  ruf 
fians  had  been  on  the  lookout  for  the  appear 
ance  of  a  man  in  the  hall  below;  and  as  the 
planter  passed  behind  the  open  door,  the  oppor 
tunity  had  been  used. 

Fortunately  the  venerable  planter  was  not 
hit;  for  the  enemy  had  only  such  old  flintrlock 


A  NEW   METHOD  OF   OPERATIONS  383 

guns  as  General  Crittenden  describes  in  his  re 
port  of  the  battle  of  Mill  Springs,  and  they 
were  far  from  being  reliable  weapons.  The  bul 
let  shattered  the  edge  of  the  door,  and  no  other 
damage  was  done.  The  veteran  proved  that  he 
was  still  an  active  man;  for  as  soon  as  he  was 
behind  the  steel  fortress,  he  cast  a  searching 
glance  up  the  stairs. 

On  the  landing  he  discovered  a  head  on  the 
floor  ;  for  the  man  who  had  fired  the  chot  was 
lying  where  he  could  see  down  into  the  hall. 
It  would  have  been  better  for  him  if  his  feet 
had  been  where  his  head  was  ;  for  the  planter 
raised  his  rifle,  and  fired  at  almost  the  same  in 
stant.  His  companions  drew  his  body  back  with 
out  exposing  themselves  to  the  deadly  fire  from 
the  hall. 

"Flickens  is  killed!"  exclaimed  one  of  them; 
and  the  enemy  were  one  less  in  number. 

The  planter,  with  his  rifle  in  position  for  in 
stant  use,  fixed  his  gaze  upon  the  head  of  the 
staircase ;  but  no  one  now  was  to  be  seen  there. 
Deck  and  the  sergeant  had  passed  into  the  par 
lor,  the  door  of  which  was  next  to  the  safe,  after 
the  colonel  had  discharged  his  rifle. 


384       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"Are  you  all  right,  sir?  "  asked  the  lieutenant, 
stopping  in  a  safe  place  near  the  door  of  the 
apartment. 

"  I  am  better  off  than  the  fellow  I  just  hit  in 
the  top  of  his  head,"  replied  the  planter.  "  I 
wish  another  of  them  would  try  that  experiment 
again." 

"  I  know  you  can  hold  this  position,  and  I 
will  see  what  can  be  done  elsewhere,"  returned 
Deck,  as  he  moved  towards  the  door  of  the  rear 
room. 

"  You  need  not  be  concerned  about  me ;  I  can 
finish  the  affair  if  the  villains  will  only  show 
themselves,"  replied  the  colonel ;  and  his  cheer 
ful  tones  indicated  that  he  was  happy  in  his  new 
position. 

Deck  and  Fronklyn  passed  around  into  the 
rear  of  the  hall,  where  they  found  Warren  Hick- 
man  standing  at  the  door  of  the  dining-room, 
where  he  could  not  be  seen  from  the  head  of 
the  back  stairs.  He  was  informed  that  an  at 
tempt  would  be  made  to  drive  the  enemy  from 
the  second  story.  He  was  to  remain  in  his 
present  position.  The  lieutenant  and  the  ser- 


A   NEW   METHOD   OF   OPERATIONS  385 

geant  passed  out  at  the  back  door  into  the 
kitchen,  some  distance  from  the  mansion.  Here 
they  found  the  other  two  sons  of  the  planter, 
watching  the  windows  on  that  side  of  the  house. 

The  end  of  the  cook-room  extended  back  into 
a  grove  of  trees  which  surrounded  the  mansion, 
and  which  had  given  Deck  his  first  suggestion 
of  his  method  of  future  operations.  Taking  the 
two  Hickmans  with  them,  the  four  went  through 
a  window  into  the  grove.  The  building  contain 
ing  the  kitchen  concealed  them  from  the  view  of 
the  ruffians,  if  any  of  them  went  to  the  windows. 

The  trees  around  the  mansion,  like  those  in 
the  avenue,  were  large,  and  the  foliage  dense. 
Deck  explained  to  his  companions  his  plan,  and 
then  directed  one  of  them  to  proceed  by  the 
grove  to  each  of  the  sides  of  the  house,  reserving 
the  one  by  the  stable  for  himself. 

"  What  then  ?  "  inquired  Fronklyn. 

"Each  of  you  will  sling  his  rifle,  and  then 
climb  a  tree  commanding  all  the  windows  on 
his  side  of  the  mansion,"  replied  Deck.  "When 
you  see  one  of  the  enemy  at  a  window,  use  your 
rifle.  I  shall  be  on  the  stable  side." 


386  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

The  lieutenant,  who  had  provided  himself  with 
a  rifle  on  the  piazza,  followed  the  grove  in  the 
direction  of  the  stable,  outside  of  all  the  out 
buildings,  while  the  other  three  proceeded  the  op 
posite  way.  There  were  no  trees  between  the 
mansion  and  the  stable ;  but  Deck  made  his  way 
to  the  hayloft,  which  commanded  a  view  of 
all  the  windows  of  the  former.  He  waited  long 
enough  to  enable  his  companions  to  secure  their 
places  in  the  trees,  and  then  opened  a  window, 
which  enabled  him  to  obtain  a  safe  position  for 
himself. 

While  he  was  waiting,  he  took  a  couple  of 
horse-blankets  from  the  harness-room,  and  fast- 
ened  them  up  before  the  only  two  windows  in 
the  loft.  This  made  the  place  quite  dark,  though 
there  was  light  enough  to  enable  him  to  find  his 
way.  Then  he  kneeled  about  ten  feet  from  the 
open  window,  darkened  to  within  a  foot  of  the 
bottom.  From  this  point  he  discovered,  by  look 
ing  through  the  window  directly  opposite  his 
opening,  three  men  sitting  on  a  bed. 

He  fired  his  rifle,  and  saw  one  of  the  ruffians 
drop  on  the  floor. 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   CAPTAIN   GRUNDY      387 


CHAPTER   XXX 

THE  SURRENDER  OP  CAPTAIN  GRUNDY 

DECK  LYON  reloaded  his  rifle  without  a  mo 
ment's  delay ;  then  resuming  his  kneeling  pos 
ture,  he  gazed  at  the  window  again.  The  ruffian 
had  fallen  forwards  from  the  bed,  and  his  com 
panions  had  picked  him  up.  The  observer  could 
see  that  he  had  not  been  killed.  The  other  two 
laid  him  on  the  bed,  and  it  was  evident  that 
he  had  been  severely  wounded.  They  exam 
ined  him,  but  of  course  the  result  could  not  be 
known  to  the  lieutenant. 

While  one  of  them  was  tying  a  handkerchief 
around  the  head  of  the  wounded  man,  the  other 
went  to  the  window.  A  pane  of  glass  had  been 
broken,  and  this  must  have  assured  him  that 
the  ball  had  come  from  outside  of  the  mansion. 
Then  he  proceeded  to  look  about  the  surround 
ings  in  search  of  the  person  who  had  fired  the 
shot,  confining  his  gaze  to  the  ground.  If  he 


388  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

had  reasoned  at  all  over  the  matter,  which  per 
haps  his  education  did  not  enable  him  to  do,  he 
might  have  realized  that  the  bullet  did  not  come 
from  the  ground. 

The  man  had  thrown  the  window  wide  open, 
and  was  making  a  very  scrutinizing  examination 
of  every  part  of  the  courtyard.  He  could  see 
plainly  whatever  was  in  front  of  the  window; 
but  this  did  not  seem  to  satisfy  him.  He  thrust 
half  his  body  out  of  the  opening,  looking  both 
sides  of  him,  as  though  it  had  been  possible  to 
fire  a  rifle  around  a  corner.  The  fellow  was  cer 
tainly  stupid  enough  to  be  shot,  and  Deck  did 
not  wait  any  longer  to  do  his  work. 

The  ball  struck  him  in  the  head  as  he  was 
stretching  his  neck  to  the  utmost  to  enlarge  the 
extent  of  his  vision  to  a  point  from  which  the 
fatal  bullet  could  not  possibly  have  come.  If  he 
could  have  imagined  a  line  from  the  round  hole 
in  the  pane  of  glass  to  the  point  where  his  com 
rade's  head  had  been,  it  would  have  pointed  di 
rectly  to  Deck's  locality  when  he  discharged  the 
rifle. 

The    ruffian    dropped   from   the  window-sill  to 


"  THE   BALL   STRUCK   HIM    IN    THE   HEAD." 


THE    SURRENDER   OF   CAPTAIN   GRUNDY      389 

the  ground  with  a  heavy  thud,  and  did  not  move 
again.  The  ball  had  penetrated  his  brain,  and 
he  was  the  victim  of  his  unscientific  observations. 
But  the  lieutenant  did  not  remove  his  gaze  from 
the  open  window.  It  seemed  very  like  slaughter 
to  shoot  down  the  enemy  in  this  manner,  and 
a  twinge  of  conscience  disturbed  him.  But  he 
reasoned  that  he  had  given  the  ruffians  a  chance 
to  surrender,  which  they  had  refused  to  accept. 
Then  they  were  pirates,  robbers,  making  war  for 
gain  against  friend  and  foe  alike. 

The  third  man  in  the  room  did  not  remain 
there  any  longer.  He  could  hardly  have  known 
what  became  of  the  one  at  the  window,  unless 
he  had  heard  the  crack  of  a  rifle,  and  failed  to 
see  him  again.  Under  these  circumstances  it 
was  not  difficult  for  him  to  reason  out  the  con 
clusion  that  the  chamber  where  he  was  must 
be  a  dangerous  locality,  and  he  sought  a  safer 
place. 

The  lieutenant  continued  to  watch  the  win 
dow,  but  no  enemy  appeared  in  the  room  again. 
It  had  proved  to  be  a  chamber  of  death.  He 
had  hardly  lost  sight  of  the  foe  before  he  heard 


390      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

the  crack  of  a  rifle  in  the  grove.  The  two  Hick- 
mans  there  were  riflemen,  and  Deck  did  not  be 
lieve  it  would  be  possible  for  either  of  them  to 
fire  without  killing  or  wounding  his  man;  but 
he  heard  but  one  shot,  and  probably  four  of  the 
land  pirates  were  still  living. 

Deck  waited  some  time  for  the  sound  of  an 
other  shot,  but  in  vain.  He  did  not  believe 
another  ruffian  would  enter  the  fatal  room  com 
manded  by  his  position,  and  he  decided  to  seek 
a  more  promising  place  for  his  operations.  Since 
the  shot  he  had  heard,  he  was  confident  that 
none  of  the  enemy  would  show  themselves  at 
the  windows.  He  descended  to  the  cellar  of 
the  stable,  and  then,  by  the  way  he  had  come, 
reached  the  kitchen,  and  then  the  parlor,  at  the 
door  of  which  the  planter  was  fortified. 

"  Anything  new,  Colonel  Hickman  ?  "  he  asked. 

"  Yes,  indeed ! "  exclaimed  the  sentinel  over 
the  staircase.  "What  have  you  been  doing  out 
side?  Something  has  happened." 

"  I  think  we  have  reduced  the  enemy  by  three, 
and  perhaps  more,"  replied  the  young  officer; 
and  he  proceeded  to  explain  what  he  and  his 
companions  had  been  doing. 


THE  SURRENDER  OF  CAPTAIN  GRUNDY   391 

"  You  think  you  have  knocked  down  three  or 
more  of  the  robbers  ?  " 

"As  many  as  that." 

"Then  that  explains  it!" 

"  Explains  what  ?  "  asked  Deck,  as  much  puz 
zled  by  the  exhilarated  tones  of  the  planter  as 
by  his  questions. 

"  One  of  them  hailed  me  some  time  ago,  and 
wanted  to  see  the  one  in  command.  I  told  him 
the  commander  was  not  in  the  house;  but  was 
conducting  the  fight  outside.  He  asked  me  to 
send  for  him,  but  I  refused  to  do  so.  I  did  not 
intend  to  interrupt  your  operation ;  for  I  never 
take  another's  command  away  from  him,"  replied 
the  colonel,  indulging  at  the  same  time  in  a 
chuckle,  to  which  he  was  somewhat  given  when 
pleased. 

"Do  you  know  what  he  wanted?" 

"I  do ;  for  he  shouted  down  the  stairs  that  he 
and  the  rest  of  them  desired  to  surrender." 

"  Then  we  will  let  them  do  so,"  added  Deck, 
who  was  not  disposed  to  fight  after  the  battle 
had  been  won. 

"  What  shall  you  do  with  them  after  they  have 


392  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

surrendered,  Lieutenant  ? "  asked  the  planter, 
plainly  much  interested  in  the  question. 

"  I  shall  do  nothing  at  all  with  them ;  I  am  not 
the  judge  or  the  civil  power  of  Russell  County. 
We  have  beaten  the  enemy,  and  I  have  noth 
ing  further  to  do  with  the  matter,"  answered 
Deck. 

The  colonel  decided  not  to  ask  any  more  ques 
tions,  though  the  lieutenant  suspected  he  in 
tended  to  dispose  of  the  prisoners  as  he  thought 
best. 

"  Up-stairs,  there  !  "  shouted  the  planter.  "  The 
commander  is  here  now." 

"  Ask  him  to  come  up  here,  and  we  will  ar 
range  things,"  returned  the  ruffian  with  unblush 
ing  effrontery. 

"  The  commander  will  do  nothing  of  the  sort," 
replied  the  colonel  indignantly.  "Do  you  really 
believe  that  he  would  trust  himself  with  such 
cutthroats  as  you  are  ?  " 

"We  will  agree  not  to  hurt  him,  though  he 
has  used  us  very  unfairly,"  said  the  spokesman. 
"  He  has  tried  to  murder  all  of  us !  " 

"You  deserve   to  be  hung;    and  it  would  be 


THE   SURRENDER    OF   CAPTAIN    GRUNDY      393 

too  merciful  to  shoot  you  !  "  roared  the  colonel^ 
his  wrath  getting  the  better  of  him. 

"  Do  Union  men  hang  their  prisoners  ?  "  de 
manded  the  ruffian  bitterly. 

"  Prisoners  !  "  exclaimed  the  planter  contempt 
uously.  "You  are  such  prisoners  as  they  shut 
up  in  the  penitentiary,  or  hang  in  the  public 
square." 

"  Can  I  see  the  commander  ? "  asked  the 
spokesman,  quite  gently  by  this  time. 

"  I  will  see  him  if  he  comes  down  into  the 
parlor,"  said  Deck.  "I  shall  make  prisoners  of 
them  ;  but  I  wish  to  stipulate  that  neither  Ser 
geant  Fronklyn  nor  myself  shall  have  anything 
to  do  with  punishing  them,  either  by  hanging  or 
shooting  after  they  have  surrendered." 

"  The  commander  will  see  you  down-stairs ; 
but  I  will  shoot  any  other  that  attempts  to  put 
his  foot  on  the  first  stair,"  shouted  Colonel  Hick- 
man. 

"  I  will  come  down,"  replied  the  spokesman ; 
and  he  came  to  the  head  of  the  staircase  with  a 
gun  in  his  hand. 

"  Halt !  "  cried  the  planter.     "  Leave  all  your 


394  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

arms  up-stairs !  Have  you  any  pistols  about 
you?" 

He  passed  his  musket  to  one  of  the  others, 
and  did  the  same  with  a  couple  of  pistols  when 
the  colonel  mentioned  them.  Having  complied 
with  the  order,  he  came  down  the  stairs.  He 
was  directed  to  the  parlor  in  which  the  lieutenant 
was  waiting  for  him. 

"  Are  you  the  commander  here  ?  "  he  inquired. 

"I  am.  May  I  ask  what  you  are?"  demanded 
Deck,  without  rising  from  the  armchair  in  which 
he  was  seated. 

"  I  am  called  Captain  Grundy." 

"Not  Mrs.  Grundy?" 

"  Captain  Grundy,"  replied  the  ruffian,  with 
something  of  dignity  in  his  looks  and  manner. 

"  Have  you  a  captain's  commission  ?  " 

"Not  yet." 

"  In  what  service  are  you  ?  " 

"  In  the  service  of  the  Confederate  States  of 
America." 

"  In  what  regiment  ?  " 

"In  no  regiment;  in  a  company  organized  by 
my  government." 


THE  SURRENDER  OF  CAPTAIN  GRUNDY   395 

"  A  company  of  Partisan  Rangers  ?  " 

ft  But  in  the  service  of  my  country." 

4  Are  you  a  Kentuckian  ?  " 

'I  am." 

"  And  your  service  is  to  roam  over  your  native 
State,  killing,  robbing,  plundering  your  fellow- 
citizens  ;  a  highwayman,  a  thief,  and  a  mur 
derer,"  continued  the  lieutenant  very  severely. 
"  This  is  the  second  time  you  have  visited  this 
mansion  for  plunder ;  but  you  don't  come  out  of 
it  so  well  as  you  expected,"  said  Deck  with  a 
sneer,  evident  in  his  tones  as  well  as  his  looks. 

"  Where  is  the  rest  of  your  company,  Captain 
Grundy?" 

"  On  duty  in  another  county." 

"  But  you  expect  the  balance  of  your  command 
here  some  time  to-day  ?  " 

"  There  will  soon  be  a  time  when  the  treat 
ment  we  have  received  here  will  be  returned 
with  compound  interest,"  said  Grundy  with  a  sav 
age  and  revengeful  look  on  his  ill-favored  counte 
nance. 

"  You  wished  to  see  me ;  what  is  your  busi 
ness  ?  "  demanded  the  lieutenant. 


396  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  I  am  ready  to  surrender.  You  and  your 
gang  have  murdered  nearly  all  my  men  here  in 
cold  blood.  I  can  do  nothing  more,  and  I  must 
yield,"  replied  Grundy. 

"  Are  you  a  lawyer,  Captain  ?  " 

"  I  am  not ;   I  am  a  horse-dealer." 

"  I  should  think  you  might  be  !  "  sneered  Deck. 
"  Do  you  think  it  is  right  to  ride  over  the  State, 
robbing  your  fellow-citizens,  threatening  to  hang 
a  planter  to  a  tree  for  refusing  to  give  up  his 
money  ?  " 

"  In  the  service  of  my  country,  yes  !  Kentucky 
belongs  to  the  Confederacy ;  and  those  who  fight 
to  keep  the  State  in  the  exploded  Union  are 
traitors,  and  should  be  treated  as  enemies  of  the 
State  and  the  Confederacy." 

"Suppose  I  should  visit  your  house,  demand 
your  money,  and  hang  you  if  you  did  not  give 
it  up  ?  Would  that  be  all  right  ?  " 

"  That  is  another  matter,"  growled  Grundy. 

"  Precisely  ;  the  same  boot  don't  fit  both  feet," 
returned  Deck. 

"  I  am  your  prisoner ;  but  you  need  not  thorn 
me  with  your  Union  logic." 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   CAPTAIN    GRTJNDY      397 

At  this  moment  the  lieutenant  heard  the  voice 
of  Davis  Hickman  in  the  hall,  talking  to  his 
father.  He  called  him  into  the  parlor,  and  re 
quested  him  to  bring  a  quantity  of  cord  or  straps 
to  him;  and  he  went  for  them. 

"What  do  you  want  of  cords  and  straps  ? " 
asked  Grundy. 

"  To  bind  my  prisoner." 

"  Do  you  mean  to  hang  me  ?  " 

"  I  do  not ;  I  leave  that  job  to  the  regular 
hangman.  He  will  perform  it  in  due  time,  I 
have  no  doubt,"  replied  Deck,  as  Davis  brought 
in  the  cords. 

"  I  don't  mean  to  be  tied  up  like  a  wildcat," 
said  the  captain  doggedly. 

"  Then  you  do  not  surrender  ;  and  if  you  wish 
to  do  so,  you  may  go  up-s tail's  again." 

"  I  surrender ;  but  I  will  not  be  bound  like 
a  nigger !  "  exclaimed  Captain  Grundy,  as  he 
sprang  away  from  the  lieutenant,  and  ran  into 
the  back  room. 

"What's  the  matter  now,  Phil?"  demanded 
the  colonel,  as  the  mulatto  of  this  name  rushed 
into  the  hall,  panting  more  from  excitement 


398      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

than  physical  exertion,  for  his  horse  was  at  the 
door. 

Both  Deck  and  Davis  pursued  the  captain; 
but  they  were  taken  off  their  guard,  and  neither 
of  them  succeeded  in  getting  hold  of  the  ruffian. 
He  fled  to  a  window  which  some  one  had  left 
open,  leaped  out,  and  ran  towards  the  front  of 
the  mansion.  Davis  fired  his  rifle  at  him  ;  but 
being  "on  the  wing,"  he  failed  to  bring  him 
down.  Deck,  believing  that  the  fight  was  fin 
ished,  had  left  his  rifle  in  the  parlor. 

"The  Lord  save  us,  Mars'r  Cun'l!"  shouted 
Phil,  as  he  broke  into  the  hall.  "The  ruffians, 
more'n  twenty  of  'em,  is  coming  up  the  road  on 
hossback,  at  full  gallop!" 

It  looked  like  another  fight  against  great  odds. 


AN   UNEXPECTED   RE-ENFORCEMENT         399 


CHAPTER  XXXI 

AN  UNEXPECTED  RE-ENFORCEMENT 

CAPTAIN  GRUNDY'S  claim  that  he  was  in  the 
Confederate  service  was  undoubtedly  pure  fiction ; 
and  he  did  not  even  pretend  to  have  a  commis 
sion  of  any  kind,  not  even  as  a  Partisan  Ranger. 
The  Riverlawn  Cavalry  had  rendered  important 
service  to  the  State  in  the  suppression  of  guerilla 
bands,  acting  under  no  authority  whatever,  plun 
dering  and  killing  Union  men.  Grundy's  force 
consisted  of  over  thirty  men.  They  were  mounted, 
and  doubtless  had  stolen  the  horses  they  rode 
from  the  plantations  they  had  raided. 

They  were  simply  brigands ;  they  wore  no  uni 
form  beyond  a  belt,  and  had  taken  no  part  in  the 
battle  of  the  day  before.  Their  leader  was  an 
enterprising  man,  and  seemed  to  be  operating  at 
the  same  time  in  several  places.  Their  sole  mis 
sion  was  to  rob  the  planters ;  and  they  were  es 
pecially  eager  to  obtain  money,  though  it  was  a 
very  scarce  article  in  the  State. 


400  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

Lieutenant  Lyon  had  talked  with  Colonel  Hick- 
man  about  the  band,  and  he  had  gathered  much 
information  in  regard  to  their  operations  in  the 
northern  and  western  counties.  The  planter  was 
a  fighting  man,  as  well  as  a  strong  Unionist.  He 
had  been  aware  of  the  approach  of  the  gang,  and 
Avhile  he  had  seven  white  men  living  on  his  estate 
he  had  felt  abundantly  able  to  defend  his  prop 
erty. 

His  spring-house  was  his  arsenal;  and  it  was 
well  stored  with  arms  and  ammunition,  including 
two  field-pieces.  He  was  not  a  man  to  be  intimi 
dated,  as  many  loyal  citizens  had  been ;  and  he 
had  made  his  preparations  to  give  the  brigands  a 
warm  reception  when  they  paid  him  a  visit,  as  he 
had  no  -doubt  they  would. 

After  the  return  of  the  colonel  with  his  re- 
enforcements  from  the  ferry,  Deck  Lyon  had 
not  had  the  opportunity  to  examine  minutely  the 
premises,  especially  outside  of  the  immediate  scene 
of  operations.  He  had  followed  Captain  Grundy 
from  the  mansion  when  he  escaped  from  the  par 
lor  in  company  with  Davis.  The  latter  had  fired 
at  him ;  but  the  density  of  the  grove  interfered 


AN   UNEXPECTED   RE-ENFORCEMENT         401 

with  his  aim,  and  the  ruffian  had  suddenly  dis 
appeared. 

Outside  of  the  grove  there  were  no  trees,  and 
the  lieutenant  saw  on  a  hill  the  mounted  gang 
riding  at  full  speed  towards  the  elevation  on 
which  stood  the  mansion.  The  road  was  a  private 
one,  and  veiy  narrow.  Deck  counted  twenty-four 
riders  in  the  distance,  for  they  rode  two  abreast. 
As  he  and  his  companion  came  out  of  the  grove 
to  the  front  of  the  mansion,  the  officer  discovered 
something  that  looked  like  a  mound  of  earth  on 
one  side  of  the  road  to  the  mansion. 

"  What  is  that,  Davis  ? "  asked  Deck,  pointing 
at  the  work. 

"  That  is  the  governor's  fortification,"  replied 
the  rifleman. 

"The  governor's?" 

"  Not  the  governor  of  the  State,  but  my  fa 
ther's." 

"What  is  it?"  asked  the  lieutenant  curiously; 
for  he  had  not  been  able  to  make  out  the  use  of 
the  mound. 

"  Come  in  a  little  nearer  to  the  mansion,  and 
you  will  see,"  replied  Davis ;  and  he  led  the 
way  across  tv  corner  of  the  grove. 


402  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"It  looks  like  a  fort,"  added  Deck  as  he  ob 
tained  a  view  of  the  inside  of  the  earthwork. 

"That  is  just  what  it  is,"  said  his  companion. 
"  The  governor  has  kept  a  squad  of  the  servants 
over  on  the  hill  you  see  at  the  farther  end  of  the 
valley  through  which  the  road  passes,  as  sen 
tinels.  They  all  have  horses ;  and  when  they 
discover  the  approach  of  an  enemy,  they  gallop 
to  the  mansion,  and  notify  the  colonel.  We  are 
as  careful  of  our  lives  here  as  you  have  been 
since  you  came." 

"  What's  coming  now  ?  "  inquired  Deck,  as  he 
heard  the  tramp  of  footsteps  behind  him. 

"  The  governor's  coming,  and  I  think  we  will 
go  and  meet  him,"  replied  the  planter's  son ;  and 
he  led  the  way  through  the  grove  towards  the 
great  house. 

It  was  quite  a  procession  that  advanced  at  a 
rapid  pace  from  beyond  the  building.  At  the 
head  of  it  rode  Colonel  Hickman,  mounted  on 
the  horse  he  generally  used.  Next  behind  him 
came  his  sons  Warren  and  Harlan.  Then  came 
Phil,  leading  a  mule  harnessed  to  a  wagon,  with 
all  the  other  servants  following  it.  Last  of  all 


AN   UNEXPECTED   RE-ENFORCEMENT        403 

came  the  two  field-pieces  Deck  had  seen  on  the 
piazza,  each  of  them  drawn  by  two  mules.  About 
a  dozen  negroes  appeared  in  the  rear  and  on  the 
flanks  of  the  column ;  and  the  lieutenant  won 
dered  where  they  had  come  from,  though  there 
was  a  village  of  huts  some  distance  from  the 
stable. 

"  How  many  of  the  robbers  are  left  in  the 
second  story  of  the  mansion  ?  "  asked  Davis,  as 
the  procession  approached. 

"  Only  two,  I  think,  though  I  am  not  sure," 
replied  Deck  ;  and  he  proceeded  to  reckon  up 
the  number  that  had  been  put  out  of  the  way. 
"  Only  two." 

"  Enough  to  burn  the  house,"  added  Davis. 

As  he  spoke  he  raised  his  rifle  and  fired.  The 
lieutenant  looked  at  the  house,  and  saw  one  of 
the  ruffians  fall  at  the  open  window,  over  the 
piazza.  No  doubt  he  and  the  other  ruffian  who 
remained  in  the  house  had  heard  the  commotion 
on  the  premises,  and  Phil  had  shouted  loud 
enough  to  be  heard  in  every  room.  The  one 
who  had  gone  to  the  window  evidently  could 
not  control  his  curiosity,  and  it  had  cost  him 
his  life. 


404  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  Probably  the  other  has  looked  out  the  win 
dow  also,  and  has  seen  the  approach  of  the  rest 
of  the  gang,"  said  Davis,  as  he  reloaded  his  rifle. 
"  He  can  leave  now  if  he  wants  to ;  for  there 
is  no  one  left  in  the  house  to  prevent  him  from 
going.  But  I  don't  like  to  have  another  added 
to  the  number  of  the  enemy." 

The  rifleman  walked  over  to  a  point  where  he 
could  obtain  a  better  view  of  the  other  window. 
It  was  open,  but  no  one  could  be  seen  in  the 
room.  Very  likely  he  had  heard  the  report  of 
the  rifle  which  killed  the  other,  or  the  noise  of 
his  fall.  At  any  rate,  he  did  not  show  himself. 

"  No  more  game  here  just  now,"  said  Davis ; 
and  he  and  Deck  walked  over  to  the  fort. 

They  found  the  two  brass  guns  in  position  for 
use,  and  Warren  in  charge  of  them.  Four  of 
the  servants,  including  Phil,  were  his  assistants. 
The  dozen  rifles  Deck  had  seen  on  the  piazzas, 
and  the  heavy  revolvers,  were  leaning  against  the 
trees,  or  hanging  from  the  branches.  The  mule- 
wagon  was  in  the  grove,  containing  the  ammu 
nition;  the  mules  harnessed  to  the  fore-trucks  of 
the  gun-carriages  were  at  a  safe  distance,  and 


AN    UNEXPECTED   RE-ENFORCEMENT         405 

everything  seemed  to  be  ready  to  open  fire  upon 
the  enemy. 

"  Colonel  Hickman,  you  are  much  more  familiar 
with  the  situation  here  tha*h  I  am,"  said  Deck 
when  he  met  the  planter.  "  You  are  a  veteran 
soldier,  and  I  am  glad  to  resign  the  command, 
and  pass  it  over  to  you." 

"I  accept  it,  for  I  know  the  ground,  as  you 
say;  but  I  shall  be  happy  to  have  your  coun 
sel,"  replied  the  colonel. 

"  I  have  none  to  offer  at  present.  I  will  take 
a  rifle,  and  act  with  your  sons,  though  they  are 
better  riflemen  than  I  am." 

"  All  we  have  to  do  is  to  blaze  away  when 
the  enemy  begin  to  rise  the  hill,  and  I  shall  use 
the  same  weapon.  Warren  is  the  chief  gunner, 
and  he  has  trained  some  of  the  servants  to  handle 
the  guns,"  said  the  planter,  looking  down  the 
hill. 

"  Can  any  of  your  negroes  handle  a  rifle,  Col 
onel  ?  "  asked  Deck,  recalling  the  time  when  his 
father's  servants  had  been  armed  with  muskets, 
and  had  made  good  use  of  them  at  the  "  Battle 
of  Riverlawn." 


406  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  Some  of  them  can ;  but  I  have  scruples 
against  arming  them  for  fighting  purposes." 

"So  had  my  father;  but  when  it  came  to  the 
question  of  defending*  himself  and  the  members  of 
his  family  against  a  mob  of  ruffians  such  as  those 
now  approaching  your  mansion,  —  for  they  threat 
ened  to  burn  his  house  and  hang  him  to  a  tree,  — 
he  did  not  hesitate,"  added  Deck,  recalling  the 
stirring  events  of  that  time.  "  Of  course  there 
was  no  place  for  them  in  the  army,  though  the 
overseer  has  kept  them  in  training  for  the  de 
fence  of  the  family  and  the  plantation." 

"  We  have  no  time  to  discuss  that  question 
now,  and  the  negroes  are  assisting  Warren  at  the 
guns,"  replied  the  colonel.  "  But  who  is  that 
man  over  on  the  left  ?  He  seems  to  be  .running 
with  all  his  might  towards  the  column  of  the 
robbers." 

"  That  must  be  Captain  Grundy  who  surren 
dered  and  then  ran  away,"  answered  Deck.  "  But 
he  is  too  far  off  even  for  the  riflemen." 

The  chief  of  the  brigands  had  taken  a  wide 
sweep  in  order  to  reach  the  approaching  force  of 
mounted  men,  and  was  now  about  as  far  from 


AN   UNEXPECTED   RE-ENFORCEMENT         407 

them  as  from  the  colonel's  fort.  The  face  of 
the  country  was  uneven,  and  he  soon  disappeared 
behind  a  hill.  Lieutenant  Lyon  had  endeavored 
to  obtain  some  information  in  regard  to  the  River- 
lawn  Cavalry  of  Warren  Hickman  as  soon  as  he 
found  the  time  to  do  so.  But  the  riflemen  were 
quartered  apart  from  the  mounted  men,  and  he 
knew  very  little  about  the  squadron.  In  the 
morning  it  was  ascertained  that  General  Critten- 
den's  forces  had  evacuated  the  fort,  and  crossed 
the  river.  The  sharpshooters,  being  no  longer 
needed,  had  been  dismissed,  and  the  planter's 
sons  had  gone  directly  to  their  home. 

"  There  comes  Cuffy  the  ferryman,  riding  with 
all  the  speed  he  can  get  out  of  his  poor  horse," 
said  Warren,  as  he  pointed  to  the  negro  coming 
across  the  field  from  the  Jamestown  road.  "  He 
is  devoted  to  the  governor ;  and  I  think  he  brings 
news  of  some  sort,  good  or  bad." 

Between  the  mansion  and  the  road  there  was 
a  hill  which  prevented  them  from  seeing  the  road ; 
but  the  negro  soon  reached  the  fort,  which  was 
his  nearest  point.  He  drew  in  his  rein,  and 
stopped  his  steed  at  one  end  of  the  breastwork. 


408  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

He  was  out  of  breath,  apparently  from  excitement 
rather  than  exertion. 

"  Dar's  a  whole  comp'ny  of  sodjers  on  hossback 
comin'  down  de  road !  "  shouted  Cuffy,  as  soon 
as  he  could  collect  breath  enough  to  speak. 

"  What  are  they,  Cuffy  ?  "  demanded  Warren. 

"  Sodjers  !   Mars'r  Warren." 

"  Of  course  they  are  soldiers ;  but  on  which 
side  do  they  belong  ?  " 

"  Dressed  in  blue,  Mars'r  Warren.  Mus'  be 
Union." 

"  The  force  must  be  one,  or  both,  of  your  com 
panies,  Lieutenant,"  added  Warren.  "I  heard 
something  said  about  sending  them  on  a  recon- 
noissance  when  Captain  Woodbine  dismissed  the 
riflemen.  "Where  is  the  company  now,  Cuffy?" 

"  Dey  done  halt  behind  dat  hill,  and  send  two 
men  to  de  top  ob  it,"  replied  the  ferryman,  who 
was  quite  cool  by  this  time. 

"  Here  comes  the  governor ;  and  he  will  be 
glad  to  hear  Cuffy 's  news,"  added  the  chief  of 
artillery.  "  We  shall  be  able  to  drive  the  bri 
gands  off  now." 

"  Drive  them  off !  "  exclaimed  Deck.     "  I  hope 


AN  UNEXPECTED  HE-ENFORCEMENT      409 

we  shall  be  able  to  do  something  better  than 
that." 

"  What  better  than  that  can  we  do  ?  "  asked 
Warren. 

"  Do  you  want  to  put  them  in  condition  to 
raid  the  next  plantation,  and  hang  the  owner  if 
he  won't  give  up  his  money  by  to-morrow  ?  " 

Colonel  Hickman  came  into  the  fort,  and  his 
son  promptly  gave  him  the  welcome  news.  He 
added  that  Lieutenant  Lyon  had  some  views  of 
his  own  in  regard  to  the  situation,  and  did  not 
believe  in  simply  driving  the  enemy  away. 

"  I  should  be  glad  to  hear  your  views,  Lieu 
tenant,"  said  the  planter,  turning  to  the  young 
officer. 

"  Of  course  the  major  or  captain  in  command 
of  the  cavalry  does  not  know  the  country  in 
this  vicinity,  though  Cuffy  says  men  have  been 
sent  to  the  top  of  the  hill  to  obtain  informa 
tion,"  said  Deck.  "  But  they  can  see  nothing, 
for  there  is  another  and  higher  hill  between  them 
and  the  enemy.  With  your  permission,  Sergeant 
Fronklyn  and  myself  will  join  our  company  if 
they  are  in  the  road.  Perhaps  the  entire  squad 
ron  is  there." 


410  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  What  is  your  plan,  Lieutenant  ?  "  asked  the 
colonel,  a  little  impatient  in  his  manner. 

"  We  ought  to  capture  every  one  of  that  gang ; 
and  it  can  be  easily  done." 

"How?" 

"I  don't  know  who  is  in  command  of  the 
force ;  but  I  should  suggest  to  him  to  send  half 
of  his  command  to  a  position  under  cover  of  the 
hill  nearest  to  the  road,  and  the  other  half  around 
the  north  end  of  the  same  hill,"  replied  Deck 
earnestly.  "We  shall  have  them  between  the 
jaws  of  a  vise  then  !  " 

"  Excellent,  Lieutenant !  "  exclaimed  the  col 
onel.  "  The  coming  of  this  force  is  a  godsend 
to  us.  You  and  the  sergeant  can  go  at  once  ; 
but  you  must  both  have  better  horses  than  those 
old  stags  the  runaways  left." 

The  planter  selected  two  of  his  best  animals 
for  them ;  and  they  galloped  across  the  field  to 
the  road.  As  they  approached'  the  Hiverlawns 
they  were  recognized,  and  a  hearty  cheer  wel 
comed  them. 


DECK   LYON'S    PLAN    OF    BATTLE  411 


CHAPTER  XXXII 

DECK   LYON'S    PLAN   OF   BATTLE 

LIEUTENANT  LYON  soon  ascertained  that  the 
force  in  the  road  included  the  two  companies  of 
the  squadron.  The  cheers  of  those  who  were 
on  the  right  of  the  column  brought  Major  Lyon 
and  Captain  Woodbine  to  the  front;  and  as  soon 
as  they  learned  the  cause  of  the  cheering  they 
rode  forward  to  meet  the  returning  wanderers. 

"•I  am  glad  to  see  you  again,  Dexter,"  said  the 
major,  as  he  extended  his  hand  to  his  son. 

"  I  am  just  as  glad  to  see  you,  father,"  replied 
Deck,  returning  the  hearty  pressure  of  the  hand. 

Sergeant  Fronklyn  was  greeted  in  the  same 
manner,  and  heartily  welcomed  by  the  commander 
of  the  battalion.  The  staff-officer  had  halted  a 
couple  of  rods  behind  the  major,  to  permit  the 
father  and  son  to  meet  without  being  observed. 

"  You  come  back  as  from  the  grave,  or  a  Con 
federate  prison,"  said  the  major,  still  holding  the 


412       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

hand  oi  his  son,  and  betraying  more  emotion  than 
he  was  in  the  habit  of  manifesting. 

"  I  have  been  neither  in  a  grave  nor  a  prison," 
answered  the  lieutenant  very  cheerfully. 

"  We  concluded  that  you  had  been  either  killed 
or  captured;  and  I  am  rejoiced  to  see  you  again 
alive  and  apparently  well." 

"  I  am  as  well  as  I  ever  was  in  my  life ;  but 
we  must  not  stop  to  talk  now,  father,  for  the 
services  of  your  command  are  greatly  needed  in 
this  vicinity,"  said  Deck. 

"  Where  ?  "  demanded  the  major,  releasing  his 
son's  hand,  and  beckoning  to  the  staff-officer,  who 
immediately  rode  to  the  spot. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you  again,  Lieutenant 
Lyon,"  said  Captain  Woodbine,  grasping  the  hand 
of  the  young  officer.  "  We  feared  that  you  were 
a  prisoner,  or  that  something  worse  had  happened 
to  you." 

"  But  Dexter  tells  me  that  my  force  is  needed 
here,  Captain  Woodbine,"  interposed  the  major; 
"  and  we  must  hear  his  story  at  some  other  time. 
Where  are  we  needed,  my  son  ?  " 

*'  On  a  hill  a  mile  from  here  is  the  mansion  of 


DECK  LYON'S  PLAN  OF  BATTLE          413 

Colonel  Hickman,"  replied  Deck,  pointing  in  the 
direction  of  the  house.  "  Part  of  a  gang  of 
guerillas  have  been  in  possession  of  it  all  the 
morning,  and  threatened  to  hang  the  owner  if 
he  did  not  give  up  his  money." 

"  It  is  the  old  story,"  added  the  major. 

"  But  we  have  shot  all  but  one  or  two  who 
were  in  the  mansion ;  and  the  rest  of  the  gang, 
twenty-four  of  them  the  servants  say,  are  now 
approaching  the  hill,"  continued  Deck. 

"  Then  we  will  not  remain  here  another  mo 
ment.  I  sent  Knox  and  Sluder  to  the  top  of 
the  nearest  hill  to  make  an  observation,"  said  the 
major. 

"They  cannot  see  the  ruffians,  for  there  is  an 
other  hill  that  conceals  them,"  Deck  interposed. 
"  I  know  the  lay  of  the  land  here,  and  if  you  will 
allow  me  to  give  advice  which  is  not  asked  for 
I  will  do  so." 

"  Certainly !  "  exclaimed  the  staff-officer,  who 
was  the  superior  of  the  major.  "  State  your  plan 
at  once,  Lieutenant." 

"  By  this  time  Captain  Grundy,  the  leader  of 
the  gang,  has  joined  his  force.  They  are  ad  van- 


414  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

cing  by  a  private  road  from  Millersville,"  Deck 
explained.  "Colonel  Hickman  has  two  field- 
pieces  behind  a  breastwork,  and  a  few  riflemen ; 
and  he  is  ready  to  give  the  ruffians  a  warm  re 
ception,  though  the  enemy  are  four  to  his  one. 
My  advice  is  that  the  second  company  march 
towards  the  mansion,  with  Sergeant  Fronklyn 
as  guide,  and  halt  under  cover  of  the  hill  near 
est  to  the  private  road.  Let  the  first  company 
march  in  the  opposite  direction,  with  me  as 
guide,  and  halt  behind  another  hill  near  the 
private  road." 

"  Very  good  !  "  exclaimed  the  major.  "  That 
is  all  clear  enough  ;  and  the  plan  is  to  put  the 
enemy  between  the  jaws  of  a  vise." 

"  That  is  just  what  I  said  to  Colonel  Hickman 
when  I  explained  the  plan  to  him,'r  added  Deck. 

The  major  led  the  way  up  to  the  main  body  of 
the  troopers.  While  the  commander  was  giving 
his  orders  to  the  two  captains  of  the  companies, 
the  two  sergeants  returned  from  the  hill,  and 
reported  that  nothing  was  to  be  seen  in  any  direc 
tion,  for  the  view  was  obstructed  by  other  hills. 
When  Knox  had  made  his  report  he  happened  to 


DECK   LYON'S  PLAN   OF  BATTLE  415 

see  Deck.  He  rushed  upon  him,  grasped  him  in 
his  arms,  and  lifted  him  from  the  ground  as  though 
he  had  been  a  baby,  hugging  him  in  a  transport 
of  rapture,  to  the  great  amusement  of  officers  and 
soldiers. 

"  I  was  afeared  you  had  gone  where  you 
couldn't  hear  the  bugle-call,  littl'  un,  and  I  bless 
the  Lord  with  all  my  might  that  you  ain't  food 
for  the  worms  or  the  crows,"  said  the  big  Ken- 
tuckian  fervently.  "  You  oughtn't  to  gone  off 
without  me ;  but  I  reckon " 

"  That  will  do  for  now,  Sergeant  Knox !  " 
shouted  Captain  Gordon.  "  We  have  no  time 
for  long  stories.  Attention  —  company!" 

As  Deck  rode  to  his  place  at  the  head  of  the 
second  platoon,  Captain  Gordon  and  Lieutenant 
Belthorpe  grasped  his  hand,  and  spoke  a  word  of 
welcome  to  him.  The  men  in  the  ranks  greeted 
him  with  pleasant  words.  The  first  company 
countermarched ;  and  as  the  captain  came  to  the 
position  of  the  second  lieutenant,  he  directed  him 
to  march  at  his  side  in  his  capacity  as  guide. 
Fronklyn  took  a  similar  position  at  the  side  of 
Captain  Truman,  and  both  companies  moved  as 
the  guides  directed. 


416  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"You  have  had  a  hard  time  of  it,  Deck,"  said 
Captain  Gordon  as  they  left  the  road  and  entered 
the  field. 

"Not  very,  Captain.  Both  Fronklyn  and  my 
self  were  knocked  from  our  horses ;  and  it  would 
have  been  all  up  with  me  if  the  sergeant  had  not 
dragged  me  out  of  the  melee.  But  I  was  only 
stunned  by  the  flat  side  of  a  sabre,  as  Fronklyn 
was  by  a  pistol-bullet,"  Deck  explained. 

"  But  you  were  within  the  breastworks  of  the 
enemy?" 

"We  were,  forced  in  by  the  crowd  of  runa 
ways  from  the  battle-field.  We  both  came  to  our 
senses,  kept  out  of  sight  for  a  while,  then  took 
possession  of  a  boat  astern  of  a  steamer,  and 
floated  down  the  Cumberland  to  Robertsport,  or 
a  little  farther,  and  got  ashore.  I  haven't  time 
to  tell  the  whole  story.  Three  sons  of  Colonel 
Hickman  were  with  Captain  Ripley's  riflemen ; 
and  with  them  we  met  the  colonel.  We  cleaned 
out  the  robbers  from  his  mansion.  I  think  we 
had  better  halt  here,  Captain  Gordon,  and  do  a 
little  scouting." 

The  suggestion  was  promptly  adopted,  and  the 


DECK  LYON'S  PLAN  OF  BATTLE      417 

company  came  to  a  halt  just  at  the  foot  of  the 
first  hill.  Deck  and  Knox  were  sent  to  the  top 
of  the  next  hill  on  foot,  both  armed  with  car 
bines.  There  were  trees  and  bushes  on  the  sum 
mit,  but  not  on  the  sides,  of  the  elevation.  They 
took  a  position  in  the  shelter  of  this  growth, 
but  the  guerillas  were  not  yet  in  sight.  They 
must  have  halted  for  some  time;  and  Deck  con 
jectured  that  Captain  Grundy  must  have  joined 
them,  and  had  taken  the  time  to  tell  his  story. 

"I  see  nothing  of  them  yet,  Life,"  said  the 
lieutenant,  after  he  had  surveyed  the  country  in 
all  directions. 

"  Which  way  they  comin ',  Deck  ?  "  asked  the 
sergeant. 

"•  You  can  see  the  road  across  the  fields  at 
the  foot  of  this  hill.  I  think  the  first  company 
is  in  the  right  position  where  it  is  now,"  said 
the  lieutenant.  "  The  second  company  will  halt 
under  cover  of  the  same  hill.  Neither  of  them 
can  be  seen  from  that  road  till  the  enemy  have 
advanced  half-way  up  the  hill  to  the  mansion." 

"I  thought  the  company  was  to  move  to  the 
lower  end  of  the  hill,  where  we  uns  is,"  sug 
gested  Knox. 


418       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"  That  was  my  first  view  of  it ;  but  there  is 
no  need  of  going  any  farther.  I  did  not  sup 
pose  there  was  any  chance  to  conceal  the  position 
of  the  force  where  they  could  get  at  the  enemy  in 
good  season.  I  have  not  been  over  this  ground ; 
only  seen  it  from  the  mansion  hill.  We  are  all 
right  as  we  are.  Now,  Life,  you  will  return 
to  the  company;  tell  Captain  Gordon  to  remain 
where  he  is  till  I  give  him  a  signal  with  my 
handkerchief  on  this  carbine." 

As  he  spoke,  the  lieutenant  proceeded  to  tie 
the  white  signal  to  the  weapon. 

"  Then  he  will  go  at  a  gallop  through  the 
valley  between  these  two  hills,  and  fall  upon 
the  enemy  in  the  rear,  as  the  second  company 
attacks  in  front.  Do  you  understand  it?"  con 
tinued  Deck. 

"I  reckon  I  do;  but  am  I  to  leave  you  here 
alone?"  demanded  the  sergeant. 

"  Of  course  you  are,"  replied  the  lieutenant 
with  a  laugh.  "Do  you  think  I  can't  take  care 
of  myself?  " 

"You  didn't  do  it  last  night." 

"I    think    I    did,    for  here  I  am.     Hold  on  a 


DECK  LYON'S  PLAN  OP  BATTLE      419 

minute  !  I  think  we  can  arrange  this  matter  a 
little  better.  The  second  company  will  not  know 
when  to  make  the  attack." 

"Are  you  gwine  to  lay  out  the  whole  battle, 
Deck  ?  "  asked  Life. 

"I  am  going  to  do  what  I  can  to  make  it  a 
success,  and  to  capture  every  one  of  those  ruf' 
nans.  If  one  of  them  escapes  it  shall  not  be  my 
fault,"  replied  the  lieutenant  in  vigorous  speech. 
"  Ask  Captain  Gordon  to  rig  a  signal  like  this 
one,  and  send  a  messenger  to  Major  Lyon,  who 
has  gone  with  the  second  company,  so  that  he 
will  understand  its  meaning.  When  I  wave  my 
signal  twice,  it  will  be  for  the  second  company 
to  attack;  when  I  wave  it  once  it  will  be  for 
the  first  company  to  fall  on  the  enemy's  rear. 
The  major  is  not  more  than  half  a  mile  from 
the  first  company.  Now  go,  Life,  and  don't  let 
the  grass  grow  under  your  feet." 

"  All  right ;  but  I  reckon  you  are  the  com- 
mander-in-chief  of  this  battalion,  Deck." 

The  long-legged  Kentuckian  went  down  the 
hill  with  long  strides ;  and  in  about  three  minutes 
he  saluted  Captain  Gordon,  and  delivered  his  mes- 


420  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

sage.  Then  he  was  ordered  ta  mount  his  horse, 
and  ride  over  to  deliver  the  instructions  to  the 
major. 

"  That  is  an  excellent  plan  of  Lieutenant  Lyon, 
and  it  will  prevent  any  confusion,"  said  the  cap 
tain  as  the  sergeant  was  mounting  his  horse. 

In  a  few  minutes  more  Knox  came  into  the 
presence  of  Captain  Woodbine  and  Major  Lyon. 
He  described  the  arrangement  for  the  signals. 

Sergeant  Fronklyn  and  Bugler  Stufton  were  sta 
tioned  on  a  knoll  where  they  could  see  the  signal 
when  it  was  given  by  Captain  Gordon,  and  the 
musician  was  to  sound  the  advance. 

"  These  signals  are  a  capital  idea  of  your  son, 
Major,"  said  the  staff-officer  in  the  hearing  of  Life 
Knox,  as  he  was  starting  on  his  return  to  his 
company. 

Deck  was  left  alone ;  but  in  spite  of  the  solici 
tude  of  the  Kentuckian,  he  did  not  regard  him 
self  as  in  any  danger,  for  the  guerillas  were  not 
likely  to  explore  the  hills  on  their  way  to  the 
mansion,  where  Captain  Grundy  doubtless  ex 
pected  to  make  an  easy  victory  over  the  force 
defending  it.  He  was  not  aware  that  cannon 


DECK   LYON'S   PLAN   OF   BATTLE  421 

were  to  figure  in  the  contest;  and  with  his  large 
force  he  could  easily  overcome  the  small  number 
behind  the  breastwork.  He  was  confident  that 
there  was  a  large  sum  of  money  concealed  in  the 
mansion,  or  in  its  vicinity ;  and  he  was  fully  de 
termined  to  hang  Colonel  Hickman  to  one  of  his 
own  trees  if  he  did  not  disclose  the  hiding-place 
of  the  treasure. 

It  was  fully  half  an  hour  before  Deck  saw 
anything  of  the  approaching  guerillas.  Four 
mounted  men  were  the  first  indications  of  the 
advance  of  the  enemy.  They  seemed  to  be  the 
pickets  of  the  main  body.  They  rode  in  couples, 
and  did  not  trouble  themselves  to  scout  the  hills 
on  their  left ;  for  they  could  not  have  had  any  sus 
picion  that  there  was  a  large  force  of  cavalry  any 
where  near  the  mansion.  The  pickets  moved  on 
slowly  till  they  came  to  the  beginning  of  the  as 
cent  of  the  hill,  and  there  they  halted.  They 
had  nothing  to  report,  and  they  awaited  the  com 
ing  of  the  force. 

From  his  position  behind  the  bushes  and  trees 
Deck  could  see  the  mansion,  and  the  road  leading 
up  to  it.  The  pickets  had  hardly  halted  before 


422  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  main  column  came  into  view.  They  marched 
by  fours,  two  in  the  road,  and  two  in  the  field, 
and  in  very  irregular  order.  The  lieutenant  ob 
served  them  with  intense  interest,  and  counted 
them  as  they  advanced.  Instead  of  twenty-four, 
as  the  negro  scouts  had  reported,  there  were 
thirty-eight  of  them.  They  had  either  been  re' 
enforced,  or  the  scouts  had  not  seen  them  all. 
They  marched  very  confidently,  and  began  the 
ascent  of  the  hill. 

When  they  had  ascended  about  half  the  dis 
tance  to  the  summit,  one  of  the  cannon  pealed, 
and  three  men  were  seen  to  fall  from  their  horses. 
The  assailants  had  evidently  not  expected  to 
encounter  artillery,  and  the  result  of  the  first 
discharge  checked  them.  At  this  moment  Deck 
twice  waved  the  signal.  A  minute  later  the 
blast  of  the  bugle  was  heard  in  the  distance,  fol 
lowed  immediately  by  the  onslaught  of  Captain 
Trueman's  company. 

Deck  observed  the  impetuous  charge.  Captain 
Grundy  appeared  to  have  ordered  his  command  to 
deploy  to  the  right ;  but  they  had  no  time  to  do 
so,  for  the  troopers  dashed  into  them  in  front. 


DECK   LYON'S   PLAN   OF   BATTLE  423 

The  guerillas  could  not  hold  their  ground  for  a 
moment  against  this  fiery  charge.  They  broke, 
and  began  to  retreat  by  the  way  they  had  come. 
Deck  waved  his  signal  once ;  and  Captain  Gor 
don's  company  dashed  through  the  valley,  and 
confronted  the  ruffians  in  their  hot  retreat. 


424  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XXXIII 

THE  DEFEAT  AND  SURRENDER  OF  THE  GUERILLAS 

THE  moment  Deck  Lyon  had  given  the  signal 
for  the  first  company  to  advance,  he  ran  down 
the  hill  with  all  the  speed  he  could  command, 
to  a  tree  where  Life  had  hitched  his  horse  in 
readiness  for  him.  It  was  not  the  animal  he 
had  ridden  from  Colonel  Hickman's  mansion,  but 
Ceph,  the  steed  he  had  trained  and  used  from 
the  beginning  of  his  career  as  a  soldier.  He  was 
very  intelligent,  and  seemed  to  understand  pre 
cisely  what  was  required  of  him  in  action ;  though 
he  sometimes  overdid  his  part,  as  when  he  tried 
to  leap  over  the  horse  of  his  rider's  opponent. 

The  lieutenant  did  not  feel  quite  at  home  on 
any  other  horse.  The  baggage-wagons  of  the 
squadron  had  been  halted  in  the  road  with  a 
sufficient  guard,  and  the  spare  horses  included 
not  a  few  picked  up  on  the  battle-field  of  Mill 
Springs.  Ceph  whinnied  vigorously,  and  pawed 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   THE  GUERILLAS        425 

the  sod  with  his  forefeet  when  he  saw  his  mas 
ter  running  down  the  hill.  These  were  his  ex 
pressions  of  rejoicing  to  meet  his  rider  again. 

But  Deck,  who  was  anxious  to  be  at  the  head 
of  his  platoon  on  the  field,  could  only  pat  him 
on  the  neck  and  stroke  his  nose  as  he  unhitched 
him.  Life  had  attached  a  sabre  to  the  saddle 
for  his  use,  for  he  was  sure  that  he  would  want 
one.  Mounting  hastily,  he  disengaged  the  weapon, 
and  started  in  the  direction  his  company  had 
taken.  If  the  rider  had  fully  informed  his  steed 
what  he  wanted,  the  animal  could  not  have  un 
derstood  him  any  better ;  for  he  darted  away  at 
his  swiftest  gallop,  and  bounded  through  the  val 
ley  like  the  flight  of  an  arrow.  Deck  had  slung 
his  carbine  over  his  shoulder,  and  carried  the 
naked  sabre  in  his  hand,  with  the  scabbard  at 
tached  to  his  belt. 

As  the  lieutenant  advanced  he  obtained  a  view 
of  the  field,  and  could  measure  the  progress  of 
the  action  as  far  as  it  had  gone.  Four  shots 
had  been  sent  from  the  fort;  though  after  Cap 
tain  Grundy  had  scattered  his  men,  the  last  two 
were  less  effective  than  the  first  two.  Up  to  this 


426  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

time  the  guerilla  leader  evidently  believed  that 
he  had  no  enemy  except  the  few  men  in  the 
vicinity  of  the  mansion.  It  was  after  the  second 
gun  from  the  breastwork  that  Deck  had  given 
the  signal  for  the  advance  of  the  second  com 
pany. 

At  the  onslaught  of  this  company,  consisting 
of  about  eighty  troopers,  Grundy  could  not  help 
seeing  that  he  was  outnumbered  two  to  one,  and 
that  his  opponents  were  trained  soldiers,  mounted 
upon  excellent  horses ;  and  he  had  no  alternative 
but  a  hasty  retreat.  He  led  them  in  the  direc 
tion  of  the  road;  but  at  this  time  Deck  had 
given  his  second  signal,  and  the  first  company 
were  stretching  across  the  field  to  intercept  his 
flight.  It  must  have  been  an  appalling  sight  to 
him,  and  he  saw  that  he  must  be  ground  to  pow 
der  between  the  upper  and  the  nether  millstone. 

Deck  had  reached  his  place  at  the  head  of  his 
platoon,  which  Life  Knox  was  glad  to  yield  to 
him.  Captain  Gordon  was  on  the  flank  at  the 
left.  His  command  was  stretched  across  th'e  field, 
and  were  a  wall  of  steel  against  the  farther  re 
treat  of  the  enemy.  It  was  about  half  a  mile 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   THE   GUERILLAS       427 

from  the  second  company,  which  was  driving  the 
guerillas  before  it  upon  the  point  of  their  sabres. 
The  captain  called  a  halt  when  the  head  of  his 
column  had  reached  what  appeared  to  be  a  swamp, 
and  faced  them  to  the  enemy,  ready  to  charge 
upon  the  broken  ranks  of  the  ruffians. 

"  This  can  be  nothing  but  a  butchery,"  said 
Captain  Gordon,  as  he  reined  in  his  horse  in 
front  of  his  second  lieutenant;  and  his  tones  and 
his  manner  indicated  his  disgust  at  this  sort  of 
warfare. 

"  When  I  was  in  the  mansion,  Captain  Grundy 
surrendered  to  me ;  but  when  I  proposed  to  se 
cure  him  with  cords  and  straps,  he  broke  away 
from  us,  and  we  were  unable  to  recapture  him," 
added  Deck. 

"It  is  not  usual  to  bind  captured  prisoners," 
suggested  the  captain. 

"  But  we  had  only  half  a  dozen  men,  and  I 
would  not  trust  the  fellow  out  of  sight,"  replied 
Deck.  "  But  I  have  secured  my  prisoners  when 
they  were  guerillas,  and  not  soldiers." 

"  No  doubt  you  were  right  in  dealing  so  with 
these  ruffians,"  added  the  captain.  "  I  think  we 


428  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

have  this  gang  where  not  one  of  them  can  es 
cape,  and  perhaps  we  may  have  to  bind  them  as 
you  did  their  leader." 

"  There  goes  the  recall !  "  exclaimed  the  lieu 
tenant,  as  the  bugle-notes  sounded  across  the 
field  from  the  right  of  the  second  company, 
where  Major  Lyon  had  taken  his  place. 

"There  is  a  white  flag  displayed  in  the  centre 
of  the  enemy's  line,"  added  Captain  Gordon. 
"  Your  father  does  not  relish  a  butchery  any  more 
than  I  do." 

The  commander  of  the  company  took  his  field- 
glass  from  its  case,  and  directed  it  towards  the 
position  of  the  major.  The  troopers  fell  back, 
evidently  at  the  command  of  their  officers,  at  the 
signal,  stretching  nearly  across  the  field. 

"Look  through  my  glass,  Deck,  and  tell  me 
what  is  going  on  there,"  said  the  captain,  as  he 
handed  the  glass  to  the  lieutenant.  "  There  is  a 
tall  gentleman  there  who  is  a  stranger  to  me ; 
and  he  seems  to  be  talking  and  gesticulating  very 
earnestly." 

"  That  is  Colonel  Hickman,  and  it  is  easy 
enough  for- me  to  guess  what  he  is  talking  about," 
added  Deck. 


THE    SURRENDER   OF   THE   GUERILLAS       429 

"  But  the  major  seems  to  be  as  dignified  as  he 
always  is,  and  don't  appear  to  be  much  moved  by 
what  the  other  is  saying.  But  what  is  the  matter 
with  Colonel  Hickman  ?  " 

"He  believes  in  hanging  these  fellows  as  fast 
as  they  are  taken,  though  perhaps  he  would  be 
satisfied  to  see  them  cut  down  before  the  sabres 
of  our  men.  I  had  to  tell  him  squarely  that  no 
prisoner  should  be  hung,  or  punished  in  any 
manner,  except  by  the  law  of  the  land,"  replied 
Deck. 

"  Does  he  believe  in  firing  or  charging  on  a  flag 
of  truce  ?  " 

"  Doubtless  he  believes  that  a  flag  in  the  hands 
of  these  fellows  is  not  entitled  to  be  respected." 

"Major  Lyon  is  the  right  man  to  settle  the 
question,  with  the  advice  of  Captain  Woodbine," 
said  Captain  Gordon.  "While  they  are  discuss 
ing  it,  we  will  move  forward ;  "  and  in  a  loud 
tone  he  gave  the  order  to  march,  which  was 
repeated  by  the  subordinate  officers. 

The  long  line  moved  forward,  at  a  walk,  about 
half  a  mile,  and  halted  forty  rods  in  the  rear  of 
the  disordered  ranks  of  the  enemy.  Presently  a 


430  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

sergeant  rode  across  the  field,  passing  to  the  left 
of  the  guerillas,  and  making  his  way  to  the  centre 
of  the  first  company.  It  proved  to  be  Sergeant 
Fronklyn,  who  saluted  the  captain. 

"  It  is  the  order  of  Major  Lyon,  Captain  Gor 
don,  that  you  send  Sergeant  Knox,  with  ten  men, 
to  the  right  of  your  line,  to  prevent  the  escape 
of  any  of  the  enemy  to  the  swamp.  Also,  that 
you  send  Lieutenant  Lyon  to  headquarters,"  said 
Fronklyn,  delivering  his  message. 

On  the  right  of  the  line  four  of  the  ruffians  had 
attempted  to  flee  from  the  scene  of  the  anticipated 
surrender;  but  Lieutenant  Gadbury  had  ordered 
four  of  his  men  to  fire  upon  them.  One  had 
been  wounded,  and  the  others  had  returned  to 
the  ranks.  This  was  the  occasion  of  the  order 
to  send  Knox  to  the  border  of  the  swamp.  Deck 
went  with  Fronklyn  to  the  major  by  the  same 
way  the  sergeant  had  come.  On  their  arrival  the 
lieutenant  found  G randy  had  come  over  to  inter 
view  the  major,  attended  by  a  man  bearing  the 
flag  of  truce.  *' 

"  You  are  treating  these  ruffians  as  though  they 
were  regular  soldiers,  Major  Lyon ;  and  I  protest 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   THE    GUERILLAS       431 

against  it !  '  exclaimed  Colonel  Hickman,  just  as 
Deck  saluted  the  major. 

"I  can  answer  you  better  when  I  have  heard 
what  Captain  Grundy  has  to  say,"  replied  the 
major  with  his  usual  dignity  and  gentleness. 

"  He  is  not  a  captain ;  he  has  no  commission  or 
authority  of  any  kind  from  the  State  or  Nation," 
protested  the  planter. 

"I  can  understand  and  appreciate  your  feel 
ings,  Colonel,  in  the  face  of  the  outrages  to  which 
you  have  been  subjected;  but  I  shall  be  greatly 
obliged  to  you  if  you  will  permit  me  to  discharge 
my  duty  without  further  interruption.  I  have 
been  the  victim  of  similar  indignities ;  but  I  can 
not  order  men  who  probably  intend  to  surrender, 
to  be  hung,  or  to  be  shot  down  in  cold  blood." 

Upon  this  appeal  Colonel  Hickman  was  silent, 
though  evidently  very  much  against  his  will. 
Captain  Grundy  approached  the  major  at  a  signal 
from  him.  He  was  asked  to  make  the  commu 
nication  he  sought  to  offer  under  the  flag  of 
truce. 

"  My  troop  are  fighting-men ;  but  of  course, 
surrounded  by  six  times  their  number,  we  should 


432  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

all  be  sabred  or  shot  down  in  a  few  minutes. 
Against  this  odds  I  do  not  intend  to  fight,"  said 
the  guerilla  leader,  who  was  evidently  a  man  of 
some  education,  and  conducted  himself  with  some 
degree  of  dignity. 

"Do  you  propose  to  surrender?"  asked  the 
major. 

"  I  do,  if  reasonable  terms  are  held  out  to  me," 
replied  Captain  Grundy. 

"  What  do  you  consider  reasonable  terms  ? " 
inquired  the  commander  of  the  squadron. 

"That  we  should  lay  down  our  arms,  retain 
our  horses,  and  retire  to  our  homes,  returning  to 
our  usual  occupations,"  answered  the  captain  of 
the  ruffians. 

"  That  is  better  terms  than  a  defeated  company 
of  regular  troops  of  the  Confederate  army  would 
have  any  right  to  ask  for  or  expect,"  added  the 
major  with  a  smile. 

"I  have  named  what  I  consider  fair  terms 
under  the  circumstances ;  and  now  I  will  ask 
what  terms  you  are  willing  to  make,"  continued 
Captain  Grundy. 

"No  terms  at  all,"  replied  Major   Lyon  very 


THE    SURRENDER   OP   THE   GUERILLAS       433 

decidedly.  "I  do  not  regard  you  as  soldiers  in 
the  service  of  the  Confederacy,  but  as  lawless 
marauders,  cutthroats,  and  murderers." 

"  Good !  "  exclaimed  Colonel  Hickman.  "  That 
is  hitting  the  nail  on  the  head." 

"  Many  gentlemen  who  support  the  Confeder 
ate  side  of  the  question  have  expressed  the  same 
opinions  to  me.  I  can  make  no  terms  whatever 
with  you,  Captain  Grundy.  The  surrender  must 
be  unconditional." 

"Do  you  propose  to  put  us  in  irons,  or  bind 
us  with  ropes  and  straps,  as  the  young  officer 
at  your  side  did  ? "  demanded  the  guerilla  chief 
bitterly. 

"I  should  feel  entirely  justified  in  doing  so 
if  the  circumstances  required  such  an  extreme 
measure ;  but  with  the  ample  force  under  my 
command  I  don't  think  such  a  step  would  be 
necessary,  though  my  men  would  shoot  down 
any  one  who  attempted  to  escape." 

"  Your  terms  are  very  unfair  and  very  unchiv- 
alrous ;  and  I  should  judge  that  you  were  a 
Yankee,  as  I  am  told  that  you  are,"  growled  the 
marauder. 


434  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  Doubtless  you  consider  the  robbing  of  a 
private  mansion,  and  threatening  to  hang  the 
owner  if  he  don't  inform  you  where  he  has  hid 
den  his  money,  chivalrous  deeds ;  but  I  do  not 
so  regard  them.  We  are  wasting  time.  Do  you 
surrender,  or  shall  I  order  my  men  to  charge 
upon  your  column  ?  "  demanded  the  major. 

"What  do  you  intend  to  do  with  us  after 
we  have  laid  down  our  arms  ? "  asked  Captain 
Grundy,  after  he  had  glanced  at  the  files  of 
troopers  on  both  sides  of  his  command. 

"Though  the  State  of  Kentucky  is  in  a  very 
disordered  state,  the  civil  law  is  still  in  force 
in  most  parts  of  it.  I  shall  deliver  you  over 
to  the  civil  government  whose  laws  you  have 
broken." 

"  Hemmed  in  as  my  men  are  by  six  times 
their  number,  I  have  no  alternative  but  to  sur 
render,  unfair  and  outrageous  as  the  terms  are," 
replied  the  marauder,  with  a  despairing  look  as 
he  glanced  again  at  the  loyal  troops  that  sur 
rounded  his  company. 

"The  terms  are  better  than  you  deserve,  and 
if  I  had  my  way  I  would  hang  you  to  the 


THE   SURRENDER   OF   THE   GUERILLAS       435 

nearest  tree  as  a  beginning !  "  shouted  Colonel 
Hickman. 

"  I  may  have  a  chance  to  do  you  that  favor, 
Colonel,  before  many  weeks  have  gone  by," 
added  the  outlaw. 

"  You  sent  for  me,  Major  Lyon,"  said  Deck, 
stepping  forward,  and  saluting  his  father.  "  I 
am  ready  for  any  duty  to  which  I  may  be  as 
signed." 

"Captain  Woodbine  wants  both  you  and  Ser 
geant  Fronklyn  as  guides;  for»both  of  you  have 
become  acquainted  with  this  locality,"  replied  the 
major,  as  he  proceeded  to  give  orders  for  the  con 
duct  of  the  surrender. 

The  first  company  was  moved  up,  and  the 
guerillas  marched  in  single  file  between  the  two, 
laying  down  their  arms,  though  a  couple  of  ser 
geants  searched  them  for  pistols  and  knives. 
Lieutenant  Blenks,  with  the  second  platoon  of 
the  second  company,  was  detailed  to  march  the 
prisoners  to  Jamestown,  which  was  the  capital 
of  Russell  County,  where  they  were  to  be  de 
livered  to  the  sheriff.  It  was  not  a  long  march, 
and  the  platoon  rejoined  the  squadron  on  the 
bank  of  the  Cumberland  at  dark. 


436      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

The  next  day  a  mob  took  Grundy  from  the 
jail,  and  hung  him  in  the  village ;  and  possibly 
Colonel  Hickman  knew  more  about  the  affair 
than  any  other  single  person. 

The  colonel  was  the  highest  type  of  a  Ken 
tucky  gentleman,  and  no  one  not  in  his  difficult 
position  could  fully  comprehend  his  apparently 
ferocious  views. 


CHAPTER  XXXIV 

THE   GATHERING    OF   A   NEW   COMMAND 

THE  guerillas  were  disposed  of,  and  it  did  not 
appear  that  there  was  any  other  enemy  in  the 
vicinity.  Major  Lyon  marched  his  squadron 
back  to  the  road  where  he  had  left  his  wagons. 
Captain  Woodbine,  at  the  invitation  of  Colonel 
Hickman,  visited  the  mansion,  and  required  Deck 
to  go  with  him.  As  they  rode  up  the  hill  the 
lieutenant  gave  the  details  of  his  escape  from 
the  Beech  Grove  breastworks,  the  drowning  of 
the  four  fugitives,  and  the  defence  of  the  man 
sion  of  the  planter. 

Colonel  Hickman  rode  with  them,  and  listened 
to  the  narrative,  and  stated  that  the  young  lieu 
tenant  had  conducted  the  defence,  and  that  all 
the  gang  who  gained  admission  to  the  house, 
with  the  exception  of  one  or  two,  had  been  killed 
or  wounded.  On  their  arrival  at  the  mansion 
the  party  visited  every  room.  Those  on  the 


438  A   LIEUTENANT   AT    EIGHTEEN 

lower  floor  exhibited  the  havoc  made  by  the  ruf 
fians  in  their  search  for  the  planter's  money. 

Deck  pointed  to  the  safe  in  the  hall,  and  ex 
plained  in  what  manner  Sergeant  Fronklyn  had 
covered  the  staircase;  and  the  body  of  the  first 
man  who  had  attempted  the  descent  lay  where 
it  had  fallen.  Then  they  went  up-stairs.  The 
same  havoc  appeared  in  all  the  apartments.  The 
bodies  of  two  men  who  had  been  instantly  killed 
at  the  windows,  and  several  other  wounded  ruf 
fians,  lay  on  the  beds. 

"The  assault  was  skilfully  and  safely  man 
aged,"  said  the  staff-officer,  patting  the  lieuten 
ant  on  the  back. 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon  has  been  the  hero  of  the  day 
on  my  premises,  and  he  has  placed  me  under  ever 
lasting  obligations  to  him,"  added  the  colonel. 
"  With  a  very  insignificant  force  we  had  cleaned 
out  the  ruffians  from  the  house  when  the  approach 
of  the  main  body  of  the  gang  was  announced  by 
my  servants,  who  had  been  scouting  beyond  the 
hills.  The  coming  of  the  cavalry  has  probably 
saved  my  mansion  and  my  life.  As  the  villains 
supposed,  I  have  a  considerable  sum  of  money 


THE   GATHERING   OF   A   NEW   COMMAND      439 

concealed ;  for  I  could  not  trust  it  in  any  bank 
in  the  present  condition  of  the  State.  I  should 
like  to  reward  the  lieutenant "  — 

"  I  would  not  accept  any  reward  for  simply 
doing  my  duty,"  interposed  Deck. 

"  But  I  hope  it  will  be  in  my  power  to  serve 
you,  young  man." 

"  I  am  too  happy  to  have  served  you,  Colonel 
Hickman,  to  need  anything  more  than  the  ap 
proval  of  my  own  conscience,"  replied  Deck, 
moving  off. 

"  I  am  not  without  influential  friends,  Lieuten 
ant  Lyon,  and  you  may  hear  from  me  when  you 
least  expect  it,"  continued  Colonel  Hickman,  as 
he  followed  the  young  officer,  and  grasped  him  by 
the  hand. 

"  I  do  not  ask  for  any  influence  in  my  favor. 
I  am  a  second  lieutenant  at  eighteen,  and  I  ask 
for  no  promotion  to  which  my  services  do  not 
entitle  me,"  replied  Deck  proudly.  "  I  have  sent 
the  horse  you  were  kind  enough  to  loan  me  back 
to  your  stable  ;  and  now  I  am  at  your  service, 
Captain  Woodbine." 

Both  of  the  officers  mounted  their  steeds,  and 


440  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

the  planter  showered  benedictions  upon  them  as 
they  rode  off.  Deck  had  had  some  conversation 
with  the  three  sons  of  the  Colonel,  and  they  had 
been  as  hearty  in  their  commendations  of  the 
young  officer  as  their  father.  The  staff-officer 
then  informed  his  companion  that  the  Riverlawn 
squadron  had  been  sent  out  on  a  reconnoissance 
down  the  river,  and  that  the  battalion  was  sub 
ject  to  his  orders. 

"  Then  you  wish  to  go  to  the  river?  suggested 
Deck. 

"I  do;  as  soon  as  possible,"  replied  the  captain. 

"  Then  we  will  take  the  avenue,  which  is  the 
nearest  road ;  "  and  Deck  led  the  way  into  the 
grove,  and  they  soon  reached  the  great  bend  of 
the  stream  where  he  and  Fronklyn  had  effected 
their  landing,  and  near  Cuffy's  ferry. 

At  this  point  Captain  Woodbine  took  his  field- 
glass  from  its  case,  and  carefully  examined  the 
country  on  the  other  side  of  the  river.  Deck 
had  no  idea  what  he  was  looking  for,  and  he  said 
nothing.  As  he  had  come  with  the  Riverlawns, 
it  was  evident  that  he  had  a  mission  to  carry 
out ;  but  so  far  he  had  kept  his  own  counsel. 


•    THE   GATHERING   OF   A   NEW   COMMAND      441 

Possibly  he  did  not  yet  know  what  he  should  do. 
The  Confederate  army,  or  the  greater  portion  of 
it,  had  effected  its  escape  across  the  river  in  the 
steamer  the  fugitives  had  seen  where  they  took 
the  boat,  and  in  other  craft  gathered  there. 

General  Crittenden  had  abandoned  a  vast  quan 
tity  of  arms  and  munitions  for  which  he  had  not 
sufficient  transportation,  and  the  Union  army  had 
taken  possession  of  them  in  the  morning.  The 
cavalry  had  attempted  to  swim  their  horses  over 
the  swift-flowing  river,  but  a  great  number  of 
them  had  been  drowned.  The  shore  for  a  con 
siderable  distance  below  the  breastworks  was  cov 
ered  with  dead  horses,  and  with  the  bodies  of 
men  who  had  run  the  risk  of  riding  their  steeds 
through  the  angry  stream. 

"  It  will  be  impossible  for  the  army  of  the 
enemy  to  remain  in  the  fortifications  they  have 
erected  at  Mill  Springs,"  said  Captain  Woodbine, 
as  he  closed  the  field-glass,  and  returned  it  to  the 
case.  "  They  were  in  a  starving  condition  on 
this  side  of  the  river,  and  they  must  be  worse  off 
on  the  other  side.  "  We  will  ride  up  the  stream, 
and  see  what  there  is  to  be  seen." 


442      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

The  staff-officer  led  the  way,  and  Deck  fol 
lowed  him  in  silence.  He  wondered  what  the 
captain  was  driving  at,  but  he  asked  no  ques 
tions.  At  Cuffy's  ferry  the  captain  found  the 
ferryman,  and  halted  to  write  a  note  in  his 
memorandum-book,  which  he  tore  out,  and  di 
rected  the  negro  to  deliver  it  to  the  commanding 
officer  of  the  squadron  when  the  force  arrived. 

"  It  is  only  an  order  for  your  father  to  wait 
till  we  return,"  said  the  captain;  and  then  he 
rode  on.  "Do  you  know  your  way  along  the 
river,  Lieutenant?  he  asked  a  little  later. 

"  No,  sir ;  Fronklyn  and  I  came  down  to  this 
bend  in  a  boat,  of  which  the  ferryman  has  taken 
possession,  as  I  told  him.  to  do,  for  he  had  lost 
his  own.  But  you  will  soon  come  to  a  swollen 
stream  that  flows  into  the  river;  and  you  cannot 
get  across  that,  for  the  banks  are  very  high  and 
steep,"  replied  Deck. 

The  captain  continued  on  his  way  at  a  slow 
walk,  for  the  horses  mired  in  the  soft  soil,  keep 
ing  his  gaze  fixed  on  the  opposite  shore.  At  the 
end  of  half  an  hour  they  came  to  a  little  hill,  at 
the  foot  of  which  the  tributary  stream  discharged 


THE   GATHERING   OF   A   NEW   COMMAND      443 

itself  into  the  Cumberland.  The  staff-officer  di 
rected  his  glass  to  the  other  shore,  and  there  was 
nothing  to  obstruct  his  vision. 

"  As  I  supposed,"  said  he,  turning  his  horse, 
and  starting  on  the  return  to  the  ferry. 

"  It  is  pleasant  to  have  your  supposition  con 
firmed,"  Deck  ventured  to  remark. 

"  My  supposition  was  that  the  Confederate 
army  would  march  to  the  south  at  once,  and  I 
have  seen  the  column  moving  in  that  direction 
on  the  road  that  leads  to  Oak  Forest,"  said  Cap 
tain  Woodbine,  revealing  his  object  for  the  first 
time,  though  he  said  nothing  about  his  purpose 
in  marching  the  Riverlawns  to  the  river. 

Deck  asked  no  questions,  but  when  they  had 
gone  half-way  to  the  ferry  the  sound  of  several 
bugles  was  heard  ahead  of  them. 

"  Our  squadron  appears  to  have  arrived,"  said 
he. 

"  Perhaps  it  has,"  replied  the  captain  with  a 
smile. 

"  That  is  an  artillery  call ! "  exclaimed  the 
lieutenant,  as  he  recognized  the  sounds  ;  and  he 
was  not  a  little  astonished. 


444  A    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"  I  should  judge  that  it  was,"  added  the  cap 
tain. 

His  companion  was  not  communicative ;  and 
Deck  said  no  more,  for  ten  minutes  would  explain 
the  mystery  that  bothered  him.  In  less  time 
than  he  thought  he  obtained  a  view  of  the  ground 
near  the  ferry;  and  the  first  thing  that  confronted 
him  was  a  battery  of  four  guns.  In  the  field 
were  plainly  to  be  seen  two  companies  of  cavalry, 
dressed  in  United  States  uniform ;  but  they  were 
not  the  Riverlawri  Squadron. 

"  That  is  not  our  battalion,  Captain  Wood 
bine,"  said  he,  amazed  at  the  appearance  of  this 
strange  force. 

"It  certainly  is  not,"  answered  the  staff-officer. 

"  Two  more  companies  of  cavalry  comin'  down  de 
road,  Mars' r,"  Cuffy  volunteered  to  inform  them. 

"Those  must  be  the  Riverlawns,  as  you  call 
them,  Lieutenant." 

The  two  companies  of  cavalry  near  the  river 
and  the  battery  were  taking  their  rations  from 
their  haversacks,  and  Captain  Woodbine  did  not 
disturb  them.  By  this  time  Major  Lyon's  com 
mand  had  halted  in  the  road,  the  head  of  the 


THE  GATHERING   OP  A  NEW   COMMAND      445 

column  near  Cuffy's  house.  A  trooper,  running 
his  horse,  was  approaching;  and  Deck  saw  that  it 
was  his  brother  Artie,  who  rode  up  to  the  staff- 
officer,  saluted  him,  and  reported  the  arrival  of 
the  squadron  by  order  of  his  father. 

As  soon  as  he  had  delivered  his  message,  he 
grasped  the  hand  of  the  lieutenant;  for  they  had 
not  yet  come  together  in  the  hurry  of  the  events 
of  the  afternoon.  The  meeting  was  such  as  two 
loving  brothers  could  not  help  making  it.  Artie 
congratulated  Deck  on  his  escape  and  his  present 
safety ;  for  the  story  of  his  adventure  with  Fronk- 
lyn  had  been  circulated  through  both  companies, 
and  there  was  no  occasion  for  the  lieutenant  to 
repeat  it. 

"  I  say,  Deck !  what  is  going  on  here  ?  What 
is  that  battery  of  light  artillery  and  the  two  com 
panies  of  cavalry  doing  here  ?  "  inquired  Artie 
very  earnestly. 

"They  seem  to  be  taking  a  late  dinner  out  of 
their  haversacks,"  replied  Deck,  who  was  not  a 
whit  wiser  than  his  brother. 

"  I  could  see  that  for  myself,"  added  Artie, 
laughing. 


446  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

"  That  is  all  I  know  about  it ;  and  if  you 
want  to  know  anything  more,  you  must  ask  Cap 
tain  Woodbine,  for  I  fancy  he  is  the  only  person 
on  the  ground  who  understands  the  matter." 

"  I  should  as  soon  think  of  asking  General 
Thomas,  if  he  were  here ;  for  I  suppose  he  knows 
all  about  it  wherever  he  is." 

"No  doubt  of  it;  and  the  captain  is  his  only 
mouthpiece  about  this  region.  But  if  we  wait  a 
while  I  have  no  doubt  we  shall  know  all  about 
the  situation,  though  I  do  not  expect  to  be  sup 
plied  with  a  copy  of  the  staff-officer's  orders." 

"  Of  course  not." 

"Orderly!"  called  the  officer  mentioned. 

Artie,  who  answered  to  this  designation  near 
his  father,  rode  up  to  the  captain,  and  saluted  him 
with  even  more  than  usual  deference ;  for  just 
now  he  seemed  to  be  a  sort  of  mysterious  person 
age,  in  whom  all  power  in  this  locality  resided. 

"  If  you  have  finished  your  interview  with  your 
brother,  for  I  do  not  wish  to  hurry  you,  as  we 
are  in  no  special  haste  while  the  three  compa 
nies  are  eating  their  dinner,  you  will  deliver  this 
order  to  Major  Lyon." 


THE  GATHERING   OF   A  NEW   COMMAND      447 

"We  have  finished,  Captain,"  replied  Artie, 
surprised  at  the  kindness  of  the  staff-officer,  who 
had  been  writing  in  his  memorandum-book,  and 
had  torn  out  the  leaf,  which  he  tendered  to  the 
orderly. 

Artie  took  the  folded  paper,  and  galloped  back 
to  the  head  of  the  Riverlawn  column.  Though 
he  was  a  boy  of  eighteen,  like  his  brother,  but 
really  only  his  cousin,  he  was  not  tempted  to 
read  the  order  he  was  carrying,  greatly  as  his 
curiosity  was  stimulated;  for  it  was  a  matter  of 
honor  with  both  of  the  young  men  to  "  mind 
their  own  business,"  and  especially  not  to  med 
dle  with  that  of  others ;  and  either  of  them  would 
have  been  a  model  postmaster,  in  whose  keeping 
even  postal-cards  would  have  been  sacred. 

The  three  companies  nearest  to  the  river  fin 
ished  their  dinner,  and  Deck  looked  the  men 
over  as  they  prepared  to  resume  their  places  in 
the  ranks.  The  horses  had  all  been  supplied  with 
a  feed  of  oats,  poured  upon  the  cleanest  spots  to 
be  found  on  the  grass,  which  had  been  some 
what  kicked  up  by  the  tramp  of  horses.  The 
men  went  to  their  steeds,  and  the  lieutenant 


448  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN  * 

thought  they  were  fine-looking  men ;  and  some 
few  of  them  were  as  tall  and  bony  as  Life  Knox. 
The  members  of  the  battery  "hitched  up"  their 
animals  again,  and  then  took  their  seats  on  their 
horses  and  the  gun-carriages  and  caissons. 

Major  Lyon,  evidently  in  obedience  to  the  order 
he  had  just  received,  had  given  his  commands 
to  the  captains  of  the  two  companies,  and  they 
were  marching  them  into  the  field  behind  the 
ferry-house;  and  in  a  few  minutes  they  had 
formed  in  double  ranks  on  the  west  side  of  the 
ground,  north  and  south.  Then  the  two  other 
companies  of  cavalry  formed  in  the  same  manner 
on  the  north  side  of  the  field,  east  and  west. 
The  battery  came  into  line  on  the  south  side,  and 
the  whole  made  the  three  sides  of  the  square. 

The  formation  of  the  square  was  completed; 
and  Deck,  who  had  been  instructed  to  accom 
pany  Captain  Woodbine,  was  directed  to  summon 
the  two  majors  in  command  of  the  squadrons 
into  his  presence.  He  shook  hands  with  both 
of  them,  calling  them  by  name.  Then  the  order 
was  given  by  the  captains  to  present  arms.  The 
staff-officer  raised  his  cap,  and  bowed. 


THE   GATHERING   OF   A   NEW   COMMAND      449 

"I  will  now  cause  my  commission  to  be  read 
to  you,"  he  continued,  handing  the  document  to 
Lieutenant  Lyon,  and  directing  him  to  read  it, 
which  he  did  in  a  voice  loud  and  clear  enough 
to  be  heard  by  all  on  the  field. 


450  A  LIEUTENANT   AT  EIGHTEEN 


CHAPTER   XXXV 


THE  reading  of  the  commission  was  an  unusual 
proceeding ;  but  the  recipient  of  it  appeared  to 
consider  it  advisable,  especially  as  several  changes 
in  the  organization  were  to  be  announced.  The 
document  was  dated  back  over  two  months,  and 
made  him  who  had  been  known  as  Captain 
Woodbine  on  the  staff  a  brigadier-general.  A 
chorus  of  cheers  resounded  all  along  the  lines 
as  Deck  finished  the  reading  of  the  commission, 
especially  from  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry. 

General  Woodbine  acknowledged  the  compli 
ment  with  dignity.  He  explained  that  his  com 
mission  had  been  in  his  keeping  since  the  date 
appended  to  it;  but  he  had  preferred  to  retain 
his  position  on  the  staff  of  General  Thomas,  who 
had  insisted  that  morning  that  he  should  assume 
the  rank  to  which  he  was  entitled ;  for  the  ser 
vices  of  one  so  well  acquainted  with  the  coun- 


A   FIRST   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN         451 

try,  both  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  were  needed 
at  this  time. 

He  had  been  permitted  to  select  the  force  to 
form  his  brigade,  and  he  had  .chosen  those  that 
he  regarded  as  best  fitted  for  the  duty  to  which 
he  expected  to  be  assigned.  Major  Lyon  would 
retain  the  command  of  the  Riverlawn  Cavalry, 
and  Major  Richland  that  of  the  other  squadron 
of  Kentucky  cavalry,  while  Captain  Batterson 
would  remain  at  the  head  of  the  battery  on  the 
field,  attached  to  the  brigade. 

"  Lieutenant  Lyon,  of  the  first  company  of  the 
Riverlawn  Squadron,"  continued  the  general,  "is 
promoted  from  the  rank  of  second  to  that  of  first 
lieutenant ;  and  I  have  the  pleasure  of  presenting 
to  him  his  commission  ; "  and  he  handed  to  him 
the  important  document. 

A  spontaneous  volley  of  cheers  burst  from  the 
ranks  of  both  companies  of  the  Riverlawns,  for 
Deck  was  as  popular  in  one  company  as  in  the 
other;  and  it  was  continued  till  the  general 
stopped  it  with  a  wave  of  his  hand. 

"First  Lieutenant  Lyon  is  appointed  to  serve 
on  the  staff  of  the  general  in  command,"  added 


452      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

the  commander  of  the  brigade.  "Second  Lieu 
tenant  Herndon  is  also  promoted  to  the  rank  of 
first  lieutenant,  and  he  will  come  forward  to  re 
ceive  his  commission.  He  is  also  appointed  to 
serve  on  my  staff." 

An  outburst  of  cheers  followed  from  the  Mar 
ion  Cavalry,  as  they  had  chosen  to  call  them 
selves,  in  which  both  the  Riverlawns  and  the 
battery  joined.  Lieutenant  Herndon  rode  for 
ward  to  the  position  of  the  general ;  and  Deck 
observed  him  with  the  most  intense  interest,  for 
he  was  likely  to  be  his  most  intimate  companion 
in  future  campaigns.  He  was  a  young  man  of 
not  more  than  twenty-one,  but  he  was  six  feet 
in  height,  well  built,  and  quite  muscular.  He 
had  a  decidedly  handsome  face,  with  a  very  pleas 
ant  expression ;  and  Deck  was  sure  that  he  was 
popular  with  the  ladies.  The  general  presented 
his  commission  to  him,  which  he  received  with  a 
graceful  bow. 

"Lieutenant  Lyon,  let  me  introduce  to  you 
Lieutenant  Herndon ;  and  as  you  are  now  mem 
bers  of  my  military  family,  I  hope  you  will  be 
good  friends,"  said  General  Woodbine ;  and  the 


A   FIRST   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN         453 

two  young  men  grasped  each  other's  hands,  and 
the  meeting  was  as  cordial  as  it  was  promising 
for  the  future. 

"The  major,  in  consultation  with  the  captains 
of  the  companies  in  which  the  vacancies  occur, 
will  fill  them  by  appointing  acting  second  lieu 
tenants  ;  and,  if  practicable,  I  will  thank  them 
to  send  me  the  names  of  those  selected  at  once," 
continued  the  general,  as  he  fell  into  conversa 
tion  with  his  newly  appointed  staff-officers. 

In  less  than  five  minutes  a  messenger  came 
from  each  of  the  battalions  bearing  the  names 
of  the  appointees ;  and  in  both  cases  they  were 
the  orderly  sergeants  of  the  companies. 

"Eliphalet  Knox  is  appointed  acting  second 
lieutenant  of  the  first  company  of  Riverlawn 
Cavalry,  and  Thomas  Jefferson  to  the  same  posi 
tion  in  the  first  company  of  Marion  Cavalry; 
and  they  will  be  obeyed  and  respected  as  such," 
said  the  general,  as  he  read  the  names  from  the 
papers. 

This  announcement  was  received  with  cheers, 
as  the  others  had  been,  and  the  business  of  the 
occasion  was  finished.  The  parade  was  dismissed. 


454  A  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

<, 

The  baggage-wagons,  each  drawn  by  eight  mules 
on  account  of  the  condition  of  the  roads  and  fields, 
an  abundant  supply  of  which  had  been  collected 
on  the  field  of  battle,  and  taken  from  the  breast 
works  at  Beech  Grove,  were  in  the  road. 

Deck  and  Life  were  heartily  congratulated  by 
officers  and  soldiers ;  and  Captain  Gordon  ex 
pressed  his  regret  at  the  loss  of  such  a  useful 
lieutenant  as  the  appointee  on  the  staff  of  the 
general  had  been. 

The  general  then  gave  the  order  for  the  bri 
gade  to  form  for  a  march,,  though  it  was  six 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon;  and  the  new  aids  per 
formed  their  first  duty  as  such  in  carrying  the 
order  to  the  commanders  of  the  three  bodies  of 
troops.  It  was  ascertained  that  the  commission 
of  Major  Lyon  antedated  that  of  Major  Richland, 
and  the  right  of  the  column  was  given  to  the 
Riverlawns.  Of  course  there  was  no  end  of  con 
jecture  as  to  where  the  brigade  was  to  march; 
but  the  general  did  not  whisper  a  word  in  re 
gard  to  his  destination  to  any  one. 

The  brigade  marched  but  about  five  miles, 
and  it  was  after  dark  when  it  halted  and  went 


V   FIRST  LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN         455 

into  camp.  The  general  had  been  unusually  ta 
citurn  on  the  way,  and  it  was  evident  to  his  aids 
that  he  was  troubled  about  something.  The 
tents  were  pitched,  and  the  horses  picketed.  In 
his  marquee  the  commander  of  the  expedition 
placed  his  maps  on  the  table,  and  began  to  study 
them  with  an  intensity  which  prevented  the  other 
members  of  his  family  from  saying  anything,  even 
between  themselves,  though  he  had  required  them 
to  remain  near  him. 

"Neither  of  you  officers,  I  believe,  has  ever 
been  on  staff-duty,"  said  he,  suddenly  whirling 
about  on  his  stool,  and  facing  them. 

Neither  of  them  had  ever  served  except  as  the 
officer  of  a  platoon. 

"Then  you  must  learn  in  the  beginning  that 
absolute  secrecy  is  required  in  my  family,  in  re 
gard  to  all  orders  and  military  movements," 
added  the  general. 

"  I  have  already  learned  that  lesson,"  replied 
Deck. 

"  I  have  learned  it  now ;  and  my  lips  will 
hereafter  be  like  the  shell  of  an  oyster,"  added 
Lieutenant  Herndon,  who  was  such  a  pleasant 


456  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

fellow  that  he  had  already  excited  the  admira 
tion  of  his  associate  on  the  staff. 

"  I  am  exceedingly  anxious  to  learn  upon 
what  point  the  enemy  on  the  other  side  of  the 
river  are  moving,"  continued  General  Wood 
bine,  speaking  in  a  very  low  tone  so  that  the 
sentinel  outside  the  tent  could  not  hear  him. 
"  I  satisfied  myself  this  morning  that  they  are 
moving  to  the  southward;  but  they  would  be 
obliged  to  follow  the  road  to  Oak  Forest  if 
Crittenden  intended  to  recross  the  Cumberland, 
and  make  a  raid  into  Kentucky  to  obtain  sup 
plies  ;  therefore  I  am  entirely  in  the  dark." 

"I  should  say  that  it  would  not  be  a  difficult 
matter  to  obtain  the  information  you  need,  Gen 
eral,"  suggested  Deck. 

"  How  ?  "  demanded  the  commander,  fixing  an 
earnest  gaze  upon  the  face  of  the  lieutenant. 

"  The  Confederate  army  is  so  crippled  for  the 
want  of  horses  and  mules  that  it  can  move  only 
at  a  snail's  pace,"  answered  Deck.  "  A  com 
pany  could  be  sent  over" 

"Quite  impossible!"  exclaimed  the  general. 
"We  have  no  boats,  though  they  might  be  ob 
tained  farther  down  the  stream." 


A   FIRST    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN         457 

"A  couple  of  scouts,  then,"  added  the  lieuten 
ant. 

"Whom  could  I  send  on  such  an  errand?" 
asked  the  commander  with  a  smile. 

"Me  for  one;  and  I  should  be  willing  to  go 
alone  if  I  knew  the  country,"  replied  Deck  very 
promptly.  "My  horse  Ceph  would  take  me 
over  the  river." 

"Have  you  forgotten  the  dead  horses  that 
strewed  the  shores  of  the  stream,  and  the  four 
men  who  were  drowned  in  trying  to  cross  in  a 
boat?  " 

"  Those  men  were  np  boatmen,  and  I  have 
had  some  experience  in  that  line.  I  am  willing 
to  take  my  chances  of  getting  over,  sir." 

The  subject  was  discussed  for  a  full  hour 
longer,  and  Deck  carried  his  point;  but  he  con 
cluded  that  he  was  unwilling  to  risk  the  loss 
of  Ceph,  and  would  go  over  in  Cuffy's  boat, 
and  find  a  horse  on  the  other  side.  It  was  de 
cided  that  he  must  have  some  one  with  him 
who  was  acquainted  with  the  region  they  were 
to  visit,  even  to  a  considerable  distance  into 
the  State  of  Tennessee.  Life  Knox  was  sent 


458  A   LIEUTENANT  AT   EIGHTEEN 

for;  and  he  informed  the  general  that  he  had 
travelled  all  over  the  country  mentioned  several 
times  when  he  was  buying  horses  for  a  trader, 
though  it  was  many  years  before.  He  was  will 
ing  to  go  anywhere  and  do  anything  with  Deck. 

"I  suppose  you  know  very  well,  both  of  you, 
that  if  you  were  caught,  and  your  mission  under 
stood,  you  would  be  hung  or  shot  without  benefit 
of  clergy,"  said  General  Woodbine  impressively. 

"  We  shall  come  back,  and  with  the  infor 
mation  you  want,  in  forty-eight  hours,"  replied 
Deck  confidently. 

"  Do  you  intend  to  go  over  in  the  full  uniform 
of  a  staff-officer?"  inquired  the  general. 

"I  think  not,  sir.  If  you  will  leave  the  mat 
ter  to  Life  and  me,  we  will  manage  all  the  de 
tails." 

"  Very  well ;  you  will  perhaps  find  my  com 
mand  at  Burkesville  when  you  return,"  added 
the  general,  rising  from  his  seat  at  the  table  ; 
and  taking  the  hands  of  the  scouts,  he  wished 
them  a  safe  return,  and  they  left  the  tent. 

They  walked  back  to  the  shanty  of  Cuffy, 
and  found  him  seated  in  his  kitchen.  Not  a 


A   FIRST   LIEUTENAKO?   AT   EIGHTEEN         459 

word  was  said  to  Major  Lyon  about  the  enter 
prise  of  his  son;  and  Deck  could  not  bid  good- 
by  to  his  father,  his  brother,  or  to  the  many 
friends  he  had  in  the  squadron.  Both  of  them 
were  in  uniform,  and  they  had  no  difficulty  in 
passing  the  guards. 

Cuffy  was  not  only  a  ferryman,  but  a  river- 
driver.  He  made  a  business  of  picking  up  what 
ever  floated  down  the  stream,  not  excepting  the 
dead  bodies  of  men  and  horses,  the  former  for 
tlieir  clothing  and  whatever  their  pockets  con 
tained,  and  the  latter  for  the  saddles  and  bridles 
on  them.  He  buried  the  bodies  of  the  men  in 
a  pit  he  had  made  for  the  purpose,  drying  and 
storing  in  his  house  portions  of  their  clothing. 

It  required  a  good  deal  of  talking  and  a  hand 
some  reward  to  induce  the  ferryman  to  exhibit 
his  stock  of  clothing ;  but  from  it  the  scouts  took 
what  they  needed;  and  were  soon  clothed  in 
rusty  and  damaged  Confederate  uniforms  of  pri 
vates.  They  bargained  for  the  use  for  two  days 
of  Cuffy's  boat,  and  embarked  about  midnight 
on  their  mission.  The  Cumberland  was  still  in 
a  turbulent  condition ;  but  Deck  had  seen  enough 


460  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

of  the  stream  to  enable  him  to  avoid  the  dan 
gerous  places.  At  the  point  where  Deck  and 
Fronklyn  had  landed,  they  had  a  hard  battle 
with  the  raging  current ;  but  the  skill  of  the 
lieutenant  and  the  strength  of  Life  carried  them 
safely  through  the  peril. 

At  daylight  in  the  morning,  they  discovered  a 
creek  flowing  into  the  river  from  the  south  side. 
They  pulled  up  this  stream  five  or  six  miles  till 
the  shallow  water  interrupted  their  further  prog 
ress.  They  concealed  the  boat  very  carefully, 
and  then  proceeded  on  foot  up  the  stream  till 
they  came  to  a  house,  more  elaborate  than  most 
of  the  dwellings  in  this  region.  They  found  a 
negro  cutting  up  wood  near  the  house.  He  told 
them  that  it  was  the  home  of  Colonel  Bickford, 
who  had  been  very  badly  wounded  in  the  battle 
on  the  other  side  of  the  river,  and  had  reached 
his  residence  the  night  before. 

"  We  want  some  breakfast,"  said  Deck. 

"  Can't  hab  it,  Mars'r.  Missus  won't  feed  no 
more  runaway  sodjers,"  replied  the  servant. 

"  Perhaps  she  will,"  added  Life,  as  he  led  the 
way  to  the  house,  and  entered  the  kitchen  with 
out  an  invitation. 


"  THK   UNWELCOME    VISITORS    POINTED   THEIR    WEAPONS.' 


Page  461. 


A   FIRST    LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN        461 

He  could  see  in  the  next  room  that  a  table 
was  set,  and  the  cook  was  putting  the  food  on 
the  table.  Without  asking  any  questions,  Life  en 
tered  the  room,  and  seated  himself  at  the  table. 
The  cook  protested,  and  then  screamed  with  all 
her  might,  which  brought  the  lady  of  the  house 
to  the  apartment.  Another  black  woman  went 
to  the  door,  and  called  to  the  man  they  had  seen 
at  the  woodpile. 

"  I  am  soriy  to  trouble  you,  madam,"  said 
Deck,  as  politely  as  the  landlord  of  a  summer 
hotel.  "We  have  been  travelling  all  night,  and 
we  are  very  hungry." 

"  I  can't  help  that ;  I  won't  feed  any  more 
runaways.  Leave  the  house  this  minute,  or  I 
will  call  my  servants  to  eject  you ! "  stormed  the 
lady. 

"  Call  'em,  marm,"  replied  Life,  taking  one  of 
the  pair  of  revolvers  he  earned  from  his  pocket, 
and  placing  it  at  the  side  of  his  plate,  Deck 
following  his  example. 

The  lady  deemed  it  prudent  to  retire ;  but 
four  stout  negroes  appeared  at  the  door.  The 
unwelcome  visitors  pointed  their  weapons  at 


462          A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN? 

them,  and  they  fled  at  the  sight  of  them.  The 
two  black  women  became  very  tractable,  and 
the  wanderers  ate  their  fill  of  ham  and  eggs, 
supplemented  with  waffles.  Deck  left  his  thanks 
and  two  dollars  for  the  lady  of  the  house,  and 
they  retired.  They  went  to  the  stable  next, 
where  they  found  four  horses.  They  took  from 
the  harness-room  a  couple  of  plain  saddles  and 
bridles,  with  which  they  prepared  the  two  best 
horses  for  their  own  use.  Mounting  them,  they 
hastened  up  the  road  on  the  bank  of  the  creek. 


SCOUTING   IN   THE  ENEMY'S  COUNTRY       463 


CHAPTER   XXXVI 

SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY 

COLONEL  BICKFORD  was  evidently  a  gentle 
man  of  taste,  for  he  had  selected  a  beautiful 
locality  for  his  residence ;  but  the  scouts  had 
not  yet  learned  whether  he  was  a  Unionist  or  a 
Confederate.  They  were  still  in  Kentucky, 
though  not  more  than  ten  miles  from  the  Ten 
nessee  line.  When  they  had  ridden  a  couple  of 
miles,  they  met  half  a  dozen  negroes,  with  fish 
ing-rods  on  their  shoulders. 

"Going  a-fishing?  "  asked  Deck,  as  he  reined 
in  his  steed. 

"Yes,  sar.  De  sodjers  done  took  all  de  meat 
in  de  country,  and  all  de  corn.  Niggers  can't 
git  not'in  t'eat  'cept  out  ob  de  creeks,"  re 
plied  the  foremost  of  the  party,  who  was  a  light 
mulatto. 

"  Who  lives  in  the  house  a  mile  or  two  down 
the  stream  ?  "  continued  Deck. 


464       A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

"Cun'l  Bickford." 

"  Oh,  yes ;  he  is  a  Union  man,"  added  Deck. 

"  No,  sar ! "  exclaimed  the  mulatto  vigorously. 
"  Cun'l  ob  a  Tennessee  regiment.  Whar  you 
git  his  coach  hosses  ?  " 

"  I'll  tell  you  about  that  next  summer ;  but 
we  only  borrowed  them  for  a  couple  of  days. 
He  is  badly  wounded  I  heard." 

"  Yes,  sar ;  f otched  home  on  a  stretcher  from 
Monticello,  whar  he  com'd  wid  de  army." 

"  Why  didn't  he  come  down  to  Newberry  along 
with  the  army?"  asked  Life,  who  knew  precisely 
where  he  was  when  Monticello  was  mentioned. 

"De  army  don't  come  dis  way,"  dey  foller  de 
road  by  de  Souf  Forks." 

"  Where  do  they  go  then  ?  " 

"  Dunno,  Mars'r ;  dey  don't  tell  whar  de  go," 
replied  the  mulatto,  shaking  his  head. 

This  man  seemed  to  be  intelligent,  and  know 
more  about  the  region  than  most  of  the  negroes. 
Deck  bade  them  good-by,  and  resumed  his 
march. 

"  I  dunno's  we  need  go  any  furder,"  said  Life, 
after  they  had  gone  a  few  rods. 


SCOUTING  IN  THE!  ENEMY'S  COUNTRY     465 

"  I  hope  we  shall  be  able  to  obtain  more  re 
liable  information  than  from  the  reports  of  these 
darkeys,"  replied  Deck,  who  was  in  favor  of  do 
ing  the  work  thoroughly. 

"  Jest  as  you  say,  Lieutenant ;  but  if  they  had 
come  down  this  way  we'd  'a'  seen  some  strag 
glers,"  answered  the  Kentuckian.  "  I  reckon  I 
know  just  whar  they  are  gwine,  'cause  I've  been 
over  the  road  myself.  They'll  foller  the  South 
Fork,  and  strike  Jamestown,  Fentress  County, 
and  from  there  make  for  Gainsborough,  where 
they  can  git  steamboats  to  tote  them  to  Nash 
ville." 

"  There  is  a  village  ahead,"  said  Deck. 

"That  is  Newberry"  (as  it  was  then  called). 

They  went  into  the  place,  and  found  a  gro 
cery  store  and  post-office.  They  halted  near  it, 
and  spent  some  time  in  a  consultation.  At  James 
town  they  could  determine  with  certainty  where 
the  army  was  going.  It  was  a  little  over  twenty 
miles,  while  the  road  the  army  had  taken  was 
quite  thirty,  though  the  roads  were  better  by  the 
latter  route.  Deck  promptly  decided  to  proceed 
to  Jamestown.  They  deemed  it  advisable  to 


466  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

avoid  the  towns,  especially  Albany,  the  capital 
of  the  county;  and  it  seemed  to  be  necessary  to 
provide  themselves  with  a  quantity  of  food,  for 
they  might  not  be  able  to  procure  a  dinner  or 
a  supper  as  readily  as  they  had  a  breakfast. 

They  dismounted,  and  entered  the  store.  They 
found  the  postmaster  half  asleep  behind  his 
counter;  and  when  Deck  inquired  if  he  had  any 
thing  to  eat,  he  replied  in  a  very  sulky  manner 
that  he  had  nothing.  He  had  been  robbed  of 
about  everything  he  had  that  was  eatable  by  run 
away  soldiers  like  themselves,  who  had  deserted 
from  the  army. 

"  Haven't  you  got  anything  ?  "  persisted  Deck. 

"Not  a  thing;  a  dozen  of  you  runaways  came 
here  last  night,  and  took  everything  I  had,  and 
never  paid  me  a  cent  for  what  they  carried  off, 
and  threatened  to  shoot  me  if  I  made  a  row  about 
it.  I  can't  afford  to  keep  store  for  sech  fellers," 
protested  the  man,  with  intense  disgust. 

"  But  I  have  a  little  money,  and  I  am  willing 
to  pay  for  whatever  we  obtain,"  added  the  lieu 
tenant. 

The  storekeeper  raised  his  head  sharply,  and 
appeared  to  be  wide  awake  at  these  words. 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY       467 

"  Don't  you  think  you  could  raise  something 
for  us  ?  "  asked  Deck. 

"  Provisions  is  mighty  skeece  down  here,  for 
the  army  has  picked  up  everything  they  could 
find ;  and  we  are  as  poor  as  starved  turkeys." 

"  Well,  if  you  hain't  got  nothin',  of  course  we 
can't  git  nothin',''  added  Life. 

"If  you're  gwine  to  pay  for  what  you  have,  I 
might  raise  somethin'  for  you,"  said  the  store 
keeper.  "  I  bought  two  mighty  handsome  chick 
ens  yesterday,  and  had  to  give  a  dollar  apiece  for 
'em.  My  wife  roasted  'em  last  night,  and  hid  'em 
away  for  our  own  use.  If  you  don't  mind  payin' 
two  dollars  apiece  for  'em,  you  shall  have  'em." 

"  All  right ;  bring  them  along,"  answered 
Deck. 

The  man  left  the  store,  and  was  absent  about 
ten  minutes,  when  he  returned  with  the  chickens. 
They  were  quite  large,  and  were  a  toothsome 
morsel  for  hungry  men.  Deck  then  called  for  a 
dollar's  worth  of  crackers,  which  the  storekeeper 
had  to  bring  from  their  hiding-place  outside  the 
building.  General  Woodbine  had  provided  him 
with  five  gold  half-eagles,  which  the  lieutenant 


468  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

had  concealed  in  as  many  different  places  about 
his  own  and  Life's  person,  and  a  few  dollars' 
worth  of  silver. 

Deck  paid  in  gold  for  the  provisions.  The 
postmaster,  who  looked  like  a  happy  man  since 
he  saw  the  precious  coin,  wrapped  the  chickens 
in  papers,  putting  a  little  package  of  salt  with 
each ;  and  the  wanderers  stuffed  them  into  their 
capacious  pockets,  finding  also  space  enough  for 
the  crackers. 

"  We  are  all  right  now,"  said  Deck,  as  they 
left  the  shop,  and  hastened  to  the  tree  where 
they  had  left  their  horses. 

"  We  sha'n't  starve,  nohow,"  replied  Life. 

When  they  came  in  sight  of  the  horses,  they 
discovered  with  surprise  and  chagrin  four  men, 
evidently  deserters  from  the  Confederate  army, 
two  of  whom  were  untying  the  bridles  of  the 
animals.  One  of  them  had  succeeded  in  doing 
so,  and  was  about  to  mount  the  steed. 

"  What  are  you  about  thar  ?  "  demanded  Life, 
as  he  stalked  towards  the  man  who  had  a  foot  in 
the  stirrup. 

The  deserter  stopped  for  an  instant,  and  then 
leaped  on  the  horse. 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY        469 

"  I  reckon  we  need  those  bosses  more'n  you  uns 
do,"  replied  the  fellow  coolly  and  impudently. 

"  I  reckon  you  won't  have  'em,"  replied  Life. 
Reaching  up  his  long  right  arm,  and  grasping  the 
man  by  the  throat,  he  dragged  him  from  the  animal 
in  the  twinkling  of  an  eye,  pitching  him  on  the 
ground  as  though  he  had  been  a  piece  of  carrion ; 
and  he  lay  there  looking  at  the  stalwart  form  of 
the  Kentuckian,  not  much  inclined  to  close  with 
him. 

The  sergeant  held  the  horse  recaptured,  which 
he  had  ridden  so  far,  and  Deck  advanced  upon 
the  other.  But  the  other  two  went  to  his  aid, 
and  planted  themselves  between  Deck  and  his 
steed.  They  did  not  appear  to  be  armed,  having 
doubtless  thrown  away  their  heavy  flint-lock  mus 
kets,  though  they  might  have  pistols  in  their 
pockets. 

"I  reckon  you  uns  can't  have  these  bosses," 
said  one  of  the  men  in  front  of  the  other  two. 

"  I  reckon  we  can  and  will,"  replied  Deck, 
drawing  one  of  his  revolvers  from  his  pocket. 
"  Out  of  the  way  !  " 

The    fellow    in    front    made    a    spring    at    the 


470      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

lieutenant  with  the  evident  intention  of  wresting 
the  revolver  from  him;  but  Deck  was  too  quick 
for  him,  and  fired.  He  dropped  his  right  hand, 
and  covered  his  shoulder  with  the  left. 

"  Leave  that  horse  !  "  shouted  Deck,  aiming  at 
the  man  who  was  at  work  on  the  bridle. 

At  this  moment  Life,  who  had  mounted  his 
horse,  rode  to  his  side.  The  one  who  had  stood 
near  the  wounded  man  was  feeling  in  his  pockets, 
when  the  tall  Kentuckian  rode  upon  him,  and 
seizing  him  by  the  collar  lifted  him  clear  of  the 
ground,  and  flung  him  nearly  a  rod  from  him. 
He  struck  heavily  against  a  log,  and  did  not 
move  again.  Life  then  rode  up  to  the  man  at 
the  other  horse,  and  would  have  served  him  in 
the  same  way  if  he  had  not  run  away  into  the 
woods.  Deck  unhitched  the  horse,  mounted  him, 
and  both  of  them  rode  off  at  a  gallop. 

"  We  shall  be  likely  to  meet  more  of  them  car 
rion,"  said  Life ;  "  for  the  woods  and  the  roads 
are  full  of  'em." 

"  It  is  best  to  avoid  them  if  we  can,"  suggested 
Deck. 

"  I  reckon  we  kin ;   for  we're  gwine  to  strike 


SCOUTING  IN   THE  ENEMY'S   COUNTRY       471 

across  the  country,"  replied  the  sergeant,  now  an 
acting  second  lieutenant,  as  he  took  from  his 
pocket  a  small  compass,  which  had  served  him 
in  the  wilds  of  the  far  West. 

A  little  farther  along,  Life  turned  into  a  cart- 
path  in  the  woods,  and  then  halted.  Poising  the 
compass,  he  watched  the  needle  for  some  time. 

"  This  path  is  just  what  we  want ;  for  it  runs 
to  the  south.  I  went  through  here  somewhere 
with  four  horses,  and  a  nigger  for  a  guide,  years 
ago  on  my  way  to  Nashville.  "  It  ain't  more'n 
five  miles  to  Elliott  Roads,  and  then  a  little 
more'n  twenty  to  Jamestown.  I  cal'late  we'll 
git  thar  to-night." 

In  about  an  hour  they  came  to  the  end  of  the 
cart-path.  Life  used  his  compass  again ;  and  they 
continued,  aided  by  the  position  of  the  sun,  till 
they  came  to  another  path,  leading  to  the  south. 
The  Kentuckian  said  they  saved  about  ten  miles 
by  taking  this  cross-cut ;  and  they  soon  reached 
the  main  road.  Avoiding  the  two  villages  of  El 
liott's  Roads  and  Pall  Mall,  as  they  were  called 
then  but  not  now,  by  going  around  them,  they 
returned  to  the  main  road  again. 


472      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

It  was  a  hilly  region ;  for  the  Cumberland 
Mountains  were  not  more  than  ten  miles  from 
them,  covered  with  forests,  and  hardly  cultivated 
at  all.  In  a  lonely  place  they  turned  into  the 
woods  to  feed  the  horses.  Behind  his  saddle, 
Deck  had  a  grain-bag  containing  half  a  bushel 
of  oats  in  each  end,  provided  by  the  forethought 
of  the  Kentuckian  at  the  stable  of  Colonel  Bick- 
ford.  A  liberal  feed  was  emptied  on  the  ground 
in  a  clean  place,  which  the  horses  greedily  de 
voured. 

The  riders  produced  the  chickens;  and  one  of 
them  soon  disappeared  with  a  corresponding  quan 
tity  of  the  crackers.  A  mountain  brook  rippled 
near  them,  and  the  thirst  of  both  men  and  horses 
was  slaked  in  its  clear  waters.  Perhaps  each 
of  the  scouts  had  slept  an  hour  in  the  boat  by 
turns,  and  they  put  in  another  hour  at  this  halt, 
as  much  for  the  benefit  of  the  horses  as  for  that 
of  the  men.  Refreshed  and  invigorated  by  the 
food  and  the  sleep,  they  renewed  the  march. 
About  three  miles  farther  on,  as  they  were  de 
scending  a  hill,  they  were  not  a  little  astonished 
to  see  half  a  dozen  men  stretch  themselves  sud- 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY       473 

denly  across  the  narrow  road,  blocking  their  pas 
sage. 

Like  the  others  they  had  encountered  at  New- 
berry,  they  were  plainly  deserters;  and  two  of 
them  had  muskets  which  they  pointed  at  the 
scouts.  Three  to  one  was  a  large  odds.  Even 
Life  believed  it  was  more  prudent  to  run  than 
to  fight;  and  wheeling  his  horse,  he  bade  Deck 
follow  him.  The  forest  was  open  enough  to  per 
mit  tjie  passage  of  horses,  and  a  couple  of  rods 
back  the  leader  turned  into  the  woods.  Deck 
followed  him  closely ;  and  they  made  a  sweep 
around,  and  then  struck  out  for  the  road  again. 
But  they  were  checkmated  by  the  deserters,  who 
ran  down  the  highway  to  intercept  them.  They 
formed  across  the  road  again,  the  two  armed  ones 
taking  aim  at  them. 

The  ruffians  had  got  in  ahead  of  them,  and 
again  the  two  muskets  stared  at  them.  Both  of 
them  drew  their  revolvers,  for  they  had  no  idea  of 
being  stopped  in  the  execution  of  their  mission. 

"  Hallo,  you  uns !  "  shouted  one  of  the  men. 
"  We  don't  want  to  hurt  you ;  but  we  want 
them  hosses,  and  we  must  have  'em." 


474  A   LIEUTENANT   AT   EIGHTEEN 

"You  can't  have  'em!"  shouted  Life. 

"  And  if  you've  got  any  grub  we  want  that !  " 
called  another  of  the  ruffians. 

"  Out  of  the  way !  "  yelled  Life,  as  he  spurred 
on  his  horse. 

As  they  started,  the  armed  men  fired.  Neither 
of  the  scouts  fell  from  his  horse ;  but  Deck 
clapped  his  right  hand  upon  his  left  arm  close 
to  his  shoulder.  He  did  not  keep  it  there  for 
more  than  a  moment,  but  grasped  his  revolver. 
The  two  horsemen  rode  down  the  ruffians,  firing 
their  weapons  with  great  rapidity.  Two  of  the 
assailants  had  fallen  in  the  road,  and  two  more 
had  been  hit.  The  scouts  drew  their  second  pis 
tols,  and  continued  to  fire.  A  third  fell,  and  then 
the  others  ran  into  the  woods,  hiding  themselves 
behind  the  trees. 

The  result  was  decisive  enough  to  satisfy  the 
riders,  and  they  went  off  at  a  lively  gallop.  The 
work  of  that  day  was  done ;  and  though  they  saw 
other  skulkers,  they  were  not  again  attacked.  At 
five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  they  reached  the 
vicinity  of  Jamestown,  the  capital  of  Fentress 
County.  They  could  not  help  learning,  both 


SCOUTING    IN    THE    ENEMY'S    COUNTRY       475 

from  sights  and  sounds,  that  there  was  great  ex 
citement  in  the  village.  A  convenient  and  par 
tially  wooded  hill  lay  on  their  right,  which  they 
decided  to  ascend. 

This  elevation  commanded  a  complete  view  of 
the  village  and  its  surroundings ;  and  they  wit 
nessed  the  approach  of  General  Crittenden's  army. 
It  did  not  halt,  but  proceeded  to  a  more  conven 
ient  camping-ground.  It  moved  out  of  the  place 
by  the  Livingston  Road ;  and  this  settled  the  ques 
tion  in  the  mind  of  Lieutenant  Knox,  and  they 
had  accomplished  their  mission. 

"  We  have  nothin'  to  do  now  but  to  git  back  to 
the  brigade,"  said  Life. 

"  Shall  we  start  back  to-night  ? "  asked  Deck 
wearily. 

"  Does  your  wound  pain  you,  my  boy  ?  "  asked 
the  Kentuckian  tenderly. 

"  Not  much  ;  but  I  am  willing  to  admit  that  I 
am  very  tired,"  answered  Deck. 

"  This  is  not  a  good  place  to  stop  over  night," 
added  Life. 

"  I  could  ride  all  night  if  it  were  necessary." 

"  No  ;  but  we  will  halt  somewhere  near  where 
we  did  for  dinner  to-day." 


Life  led  the  way  down  the  hill  to  the  road. 
Everybody  in  the  village  had  gone  to  see  the 
army;  but  they  met  a  negro  half  a  mile  from  the 
place,  and  the  Kentuckian  questioned  him.  He 
confirmed  the  conclusion  at  which  they  had  ar 
rived;  and  they  rode  on  till  they  came  after 
dark  to  the  spot  where  they  had  halted  at  din 
ner-time. 

Life  had  dressed  the  wound  of  his  companion, 
which  was  a  slight  affair.  Deck  had  brought 
with  him  the  bandages  and  salve  his  mother  had 
given  him,  and  the  injury  was  doing  very  well. 
The  horses  were  watered  and  fed,  and  half  of  the 
remaining  chicken  was  consumed  by  the  riders. 
The  scouts  stretched  themselves  on  the  ground, 
where  they  slept  the  sleep  of  the  just  for  five 
hours. 

At  one  o'clock  the  horses  were  saddled,  and 
the  march  was  resumed.  In  the  forenoon  of  the 
next  day  they  reached  Newberry  by  the  route 
they  had  taken  the  day  before.  They  had  eaten 
the  last  of  the  chickens  and  crackers,  and  they 
stopped  at  the  post-office  to  obtain  more.  The 
storekeeper  had  procured  and  cooked  two  more, 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY*S   COUNTRY       477 

which  he  was  glad  to  sell  at  the  same  price,  with 
an  abundant  supply  of  crackers.  He  added  an 
other  half-eagle  to  his  funds,  and  became  very 
friendly  to  them.  But  he  asked  no  troublesome 
questions,  not  even  to  what  Confederate  regiment 
they  belonged.  He  wished  them  a  safe  and  pleas 
ant  journey,  and  they  proceeded  on  their  way. 

Their  boat  was  not  where  they  left  it ;  and  they 
rode  along  the  creek  till  they  discovered  it  in  the 
middle  of  the  stream,  occupied  by  two  negroes, 
who  were  fishing.  Life  ordered  them  to  bring  it 
to  the  shore,  to  which  the  fishermen  objected,  for 
they  were  having  remarkably  good  luck.  But 
when  the  Kentuckian  pointed  his  revolver  at  the 
speaker,  they  pulled  to  the  shore  at  once.  Deck 
noticed  that  they  handled  the  oars  very  well ;  and 
he  offered  them  five  dollars  if  they  would  row  the 
boat  to  Cuffy's  ferry.  They  turned  loose  their 
horses,  and  they  made  their  way  back  to  their 
own  stable. 

The  offer  was  a  godsend  to  the  negroes,  and 
they  promptly  accepted  it.  Without  their  ser 
vices  the  scouts  would  have  been  in  a  bad  situa 
tion,  for  Deck's  wounded  arm  rendered  him  unfit 


478  A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

•  to  row  against  the  current  of  the  great  river.  He 
had  learned  the  dangerous  places,  and  under  his 
direction  the  ferry  was  reached  in  safety. 

"  Whar  you  done  been  to,  Mars'rs  ?  "  asked 
Cuffy  as  they  landed. 

"  We  ask  questions,  but  don't  answer  them," 
replied  Deck.  "Bring  out  our  uniforms,  and 
have  two  horses  ready  for  us." 

The  scouts,  after  they  had  washed  themselves, 
put  on  their  uniforms,  and  again  they  looked  like 
Union  officers.  Cuffy  set  the  two  negroes  over 
the  river ;  and  with  two  dollars  and  a  half  in  the 
pockets  of  each,  they  were  satisfied  with  their 
day's  work.  The  brigade  with  the  light  battery 
attached  had  marched,  and  were  doubtless  in 
Burkes ville  at  the  time  the  scouts  arrived  at  the 
ferry.  Deck  and  Life,  one  or  both  of  them,  had 
slept  most  of  the  way  during  the  long  and  hard 
pull  up  the  river,  and  they  were  in  tolerable  good 
condition  when  they  landed. 

Cuffy  had  the  four  horses  left  at  the  ferry 
by  the  deserters  who  had  been  drowned,  and 
the  two  officers  took  the  two  best  ones.  It  was 
all  of  forty  miles  by  the  roads  to  Burkesville, 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY       479 

where  the  general  said  he  might  be  on  their 
return.  After  the  best  supper  the  ferryman  could 
provide  for  them,  they  started  on  their  journey, 
following  the  river. 

On  their  arrival,  about  midnight,  at  Creelsboro', 
they  were  agreeably  surprised  to  find  the  bri 
gade  there.  The  general  had  given  them  the 
countersign,  and  the  lieutenants  were  promptly 
recognized  by  the  sentinels.  They  were  con 
ducted  to  the  tent  of  General  Woodbine,  who 
was  called  by  his  servant. 

"  I  am  very  glad  to  see  you,  Lieutenant  Lyon ; 
and  you  also,"  said  the  commander,  as  he  took 
them  both  by  the  hand.  "  I  did  not  expect 
to  see  you  before  to-morrow.  Have  you  ob 
tained  the  information  I  need  ?  " 

"We  have,  General,"  replied  Deck.  "We 
saw  the  Confederate  army  on  the  march  through 
Jamestown,  and  on  the  way  to  Livingston,  which 
makes  it  certain  that  General  Crittenden  is  going 
to  GainsboroV 

"  Where  he  can  obtain  steamboats  to  convey 
his  army  to  Nashville,"  supplemented  the  gen 
eral.  "  I  am  satisfied  now.  I  feared  that  Grit- 


480  A    LIEUTENANT    AT    EIGHTEEN 

tenden  might  march  from  Monticello,  when  I 
saw  him  headed  in  that  direction  from  Oak 
Forest,  by  the  way  of  Seventy-Six  to  the  river, 
and  then  cross  to  Burkesville,  and  pick  up  the 
supplies  of  which  he  is  in  such  great  need.  I 
must  await  further  orders  here.  I  have  no  doubt 
you  are  very  tired,  and  one  of  the  sentinels  will 
conduct  you  to  your  tents." 

"I  think  Lieutenant  Lyon  had  better  see  Dr. 
Farnwright  before  he  goes  to  sleep,"  said  Life. 

"  Is  he  wounded  ? "  asked  the  general,  with 
interest  and  anxiety. 

"  Only  slightly.  We  had  a  skrimmage  with 
half  a  dozen  deserters  from  the  enemy,  and  licked 
'em  handsome,"  added  Life. 

The  officers  were  shown  to  their  tents,  and  the 
surgeon  sent  for.  The  wound  was  carefully 
dressed,  and  the  doctor  said  it  would  be  well 
in  three  days.  He  slept  soundly  after  the  long 
and  hard  journey;  and  the  surgeon  had  ordered 
him  to  remain  in  his  tent  if  the  brigade  did  not 
march  in  the  morning,  which  it  did  not.  The 
first  persons  to  call  upon  him  were  his  father  and 
his  brother. 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   ENEMY'S   COUNTRY       481 

"  Where  have  you  been,  Dexter  ? "  asked 
Major  Lyon,  after  his  wound  had  been  consid 
ered.  "I  did  not  know  you  had  been  absent 
till  this  morning,  though  I  missed  Lieutenant 
Knox  when  I  saw  Sergeant  Fronklyn  at  the 
head  of  his  platoon." 

"  Life  and  I  have  been  away  on  secret  service ; 
and  for  further  particulars  you  must  apply  to 
General  Woodbine,"  replied  Deck  with  a  mean 
ing  smile. 

"I  shall  not  apply  to  the  general,"  added  the 
major.  "  I  am  glad  your  wound  is  no  worse ; 
and  I  hope  your  new  duties  on  the  staff  will  be 
agreeable  to  you." 

"  I  know  they  will,  especially  if  I  get  my  share 
of  the  fighting,"  answered  Deck. 

But  the  story  of  this  campaign  of  the  River- 
lawn  Cavalry,  ending  with  the  decisive  battle  of 
Mill  Springs,  is  completed.  Deck  Lyon  has  won 
and  obtained  his  promotion,  and  has  entered  upon 
a  new  sphere  of  duty,  in  which  his  bravery,  skill, 
and  enterprise  enabled  him  to  distinguish  himself. 

Before  noon  a  messenger,  escorted  by  a  squad 
of  cavalrymen,  arrived  at  the  camp  with  sealed 


482      A  LIEUTENANT  AT  EIGHTEEN 

orders  for  General  Woodbine,  and  bearing  a  large 
bag  of  letters  for  the  officers  and  soldiers.  There 
were  several  for  Major  Lyon  and  for  his  two 
sons.  They  were  from  home ;  and  everything  at 
Riverlawn  was  quiet  and  prosperous,  with  no 
evidences  of  war  near  the  family. 

Levi  Bedford  kept  a  watch  every  night  at  the 
fort  named  after  him,  and  the  fifty-one  negroes 
were  as  tractable  as  usual.  A  number  of  them 
had  been  drilled  for  service  in  case  of  need,  but 
fortunately  there  had  been  no  occasion  for  their 
services.  Through  his  sister  Dorcas,  Kate  Bel- 
thorpe  sent  her  regards  to  Deck,  and  he  had 
something  to  think  of  as  he  sat  in  his  tent. 

Among  the  major's  letters  was  one  which  had 
been  forwarded  from  his  brother  Titus,  then  in 
a  prison-camp  in  the  North.  He  had  written 
before,  and  the  major  had  replied  to  his  letter. 
Titus  had  been  informed  that  his  two  sons  had 
enlisted  in  the  Riverlawn  squadron,  and  were 
good  soldiers.  Titus  had  no  whiskey  ration,  or 
the  means  of  obtaining  liquor.  It  was  plain  from 
his  letter  that  he  was  forced  to  be  a  sober  man ; 
and  his  sentiments  were  much  more  reasonable 


SCOUTING   IN   THE   EMEMY'S   COUNTRY       483 

than  they  had  ever  been  before.  The  major 
wrote  to  him  again,  informing  him  that  his  son 
Orly  had  been  killed  in  action  while  bravely  doing 
his  duty  as  a  soldier. 

General  Woodbine  had  his  orders ;  and  the 
information  obtained  by  the  scouts  showed  that 
he  had  no  mission  on  this  part  of  the  frontier 
of  Tennessee,  and  he  must  wait  for  further  in 
structions.  He  sent  a  full  account  of  the  situa 
tion  in  this  portion  of  Kentucky,  in  which  there 
was  no  Confederate  force  of  any  magnitude,  - 
none  except  guerillas  and  home  banditti.  But 
orders  soon  came,  and  the  cavalry  brigade  and 
light  battery  were  moved  to  the  westward. 

Those  who  are  disposed  to  follow  Deck  Lyon 
in  his  further  military  career  through  marches, 
battles,  and  adventures,  will  find  it  set  forth  in 
the  succeeding  volume  of  this  series,  taking  its 
title  from  the  official  position  of  the  hero,  "ON 
THE  STAFF,"  though  he  is  now  a  first  lieutenant 
at  eighteen. 


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Adams  - 

^•55  1  A  lieutenant  at 

eighteen. 


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|      II        II   •        •  ••  * 

A    001372196    4 


